No One Ever Asked

This book is a must read. I read this book as part of Jamie Ivey's summer book club themed around racial reconciliation, a theme which instantly drew me in. While I am a half white, half-Asian female, I have been predominantly seen and identified as being white. I don't know what it's like to be unfairly stereotyped because of the color of my skin. My parents didn't have to talk to me at a young age about specific words people might one day use to describe me, words that would express ignorance, hate, or perhaps a mixture of both - because of the color of my skin.

Ganshert states in her Author's Note that she has “stepped into a sensitive space. I am a white girl. I have a black daughter; even so, I'll never truly understand what it's like to be black in America.” Not being able to understand didn't stop her from trying to challenge readers to grow in empathy, have conversations, access resources that challenge biases and prejudices. This book truly did just that for me. I may never know what it's like to be black in America, but I can start asking questions. Have conversations. Have humility to recognize the perhaps even unconscious ways I make assumptions about people based on appearance or the color of their skin. See all the resources available to get out of my comfort zone and try to see the world from a different point of view.

Thank you Ganshert for promoting a stance of humility and recognition that everyone, everyone has a story. That everyone has struggles. That even in 2018, books like this are needed because racism does still exist. I'm grateful for an opportunity to pause and reflect to consider the injustices those in the black community (and other communities of color) have faced and still face even in the 21st century. May empathy remain even after “the characters and the plot fade away”.