I Am Not Your Negro

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I am not your Negro directed by Raoul Peck from text by James Baldwin
Reviewed by Omma
๐Ÿ“•๐Ÿ“—๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿ“™

The book begins with an introduction about how Raoul Peck came about the idea for the documentary based on texts by James Baldwin. So I feel like this book is more of a supplement rather than a stand alone read.

The original texts, real conversations with figures such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and the thoughts and feelings of James Baldwin are still so relevant today and frustrating! People have been having these conversations for so damn long and shit just doesn't seem to be changing. Yes sure, on the surface it may seem like progress has been made but scratch just a little harder and it's so obvious it hasn't. The clear discrimination, alienation and biased hatred was shockingly seen even this week, in 2017(!!!!!) in Charlottesville. Actually fuck that, it isn't a shock at all. Without wanting to continue on with this rant, I'll just say that read this book. Read many more. Keep educating yourself on history, on the present and the changes that still need to be made. Challenge the beliefs of your families, your friends and colleagues. Call them out on their bullshit because being quiet in the face of discrimination makes you complicit. I'll also make a point of watching this documentary regardless of how frustrated I'll feel after it. It's no longer acceptable to remain naive because it's the easy thing to do. Get out of your comfort zone, feel uncomfortable, it's the least you can do.

Omma Ahmed

Iโ€™ve always loved reading as a kid because it was one of the few Asian-mum approved hobbies although she would have preferred โ€˜less novels and more school booksโ€™! I also grew up in the Harry Potter era so thatโ€™s when I really remember falling in love with reading. (Big up my Y7 English teacher for reading a few pages of Philosophers stone at the end of every lesson! You were a real one Mr Williams!) I love being part of this book page (even though I slack massively due to lack of energy and concentration!) because sometimes it felt like a lifeline to help keep me sane. We started it during the time I was feeling really shitty about my Crohnโ€™s disease. Itโ€™s been a tough 7 years and the last 3 have probably been the hardest especially mentally so when Linda suggested putting this page together, without hesitation I was down and Iโ€™m so proud of us! Writing reviews helped me to organise my thoughts and even resulted in me creating a second Instagram page (@AnOstomateForLife) about my Crohnโ€™s journey. Yes that was a shameless plug and Iโ€™m not sorry! Along with reviews, Iโ€™ve also loved the creative side of things such as having input in our logo, creating our bookmark and taking book pictures even though itโ€™s awkward af in public! So a few of my fave books: The Godfather by Mario Puzo (made me love the film even more! Iโ€™m a self-proclaimed movie buff too btw), Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Healy, The Harry Potter series (obviously), Jemima J by Jane Green, Moonlight over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan, Whereโ€™d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple and We Should All Be Feminists Chimamanda Adichie.

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Three Sisters, Three Queens