“I will not be silenced, I will not be silent.”
Yep – this definitely describes Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a lawyer, public speaker and activist, and the author of This is Why I Resist, which is what we’ll be reviewing today. But firstly, more on Dr Shola.
I first “met” Dr Shola via the This Morning couch. (If you are British, then you’ll know what I’m talking about). She was sat alongside another guest, opposite the show’s hosts Phil and Holly, making strong points to defend the argument that the British media’s treatment of Meghan Markle is racially motivated. More than the actual points she was making, I was more impressed by her eloquence, her confidence and the strength she exuded whilst maintaining her cool, especially as seeing black people argue about racism on the TV is usually a pain point for me. (Sorry Afua. Sorry Femi)
Don’t Define My Black Identity
She opens her book with a quote from The Telegraph: ” Arguably one of the most toxic voices in Britain’s race relations debate.”
Like Dr Shola or not, one thing you cannot argue with is that she’s self-aware. She knows she’s a polarising figure and she understands that she makes the majority of Britons uncomfortable. But does she care?… Exactly. No.
“I am a black British and an African. From the roots of my hair to the soles of my feet”
In fact, Dr Shola stands very proudly in who she is, and this comes across strongly in This Is Why I Resist. “I am a black British and an African. From the roots of my hair to the soles of my feet”, she continues. She’s proud of her identity. She is also very aware that the society we live in curtails her freedom to be herself.
The rest of the book goes on to describe and define racism in all its forms, using case study examples from The UK and The USA. With chapters such as “Does Reverse Racism Exist?”, “Who’s Playing The Race Card?” and “Can I Be Me?”, she goes in-depth into debunking the concept of “reverse racism”, explains why anti-semitism is not racism, and why discrimination against class and discrimination against race are not to be conflated. Being that her book was released last year, the examples she uses to support her arguments are still very fresh in our collective memories – I guess this makes her writing relatable and easy to understand.
Enjoying this? You may also want to read: Book Review | Fattily Ever After
She also uses quotes from other public figures to support her arguments. For example, this one from Bishop T.D. Jakes still rings in my mind today: “If you know who you are, then you know you’re not. if you don’t know who you are, somebody can ascribe to you any identity onto you, and you will morphe into what they want you to be.”
“I will not be silenced, I will not be silent.”
Dr Shola’s tone is urgent, unapologetic, and frankly has no time for your little feelings. This book is for non-black people who are willing to put their emotions on the backburner and are willing to do the work and reckon with Britain’s colonial past, and very present racism. It is also for black people living in The West who have been struggling to find the language to describe that “thing” they have felt from time to time in their interactions with Western society. It is also for those who just want to learn.
View this post on Instagram
This Is Why I Resist for me came out at a significant time in British History – in the same year that images of George Floyd’s murder ricocheted around the world, and led to protests around the globe. Being that Dr Shola’s voice is one of the loudest in Britain’s race relations, this gave her ample opportunity to display her book on her now instantly recognisable mantelpiece, whilst conducting television interviews via Zoom. The pandemic also found most of us grounded indoors, with plenty of time to do some extra reading.
My Final Thoughts
How much did I enjoy this book? Hmmm…I think I have had my fair share of this category of books, and this is no reflection on Dr Shola’s writing. Furthermore, I can’t say I learned anything new from This Is Why I Resist. I don’t say this from a place of arrogance, but as someone who has already read books such as Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race and Afua Hirsch’s BRIT(ish). If like me, you make an effort to understand the society you live in, This Is Why I Resist will simply reinforce what you already know. However, if you are at the beginning of your leaning, then I’d definitely recommend this as a part of your reading list.
