This is Why I Resist: Don't Define My Black Identity

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I say to people, don’t shy away from the discomfort of speaking on these issues. If you don’t feel uncomfortable, then you’re not having the right conversation.” This is not about people pointing fingers and going ‘all white people are racist’, ‘cause that’s not true. All white people are not racist and I point out in the book that we have white allies who for the longest time, you know, over centuries, who have fought the good fight to end racial inequality and racial injustice, and some of them even lost their life and liberty in this good fight. I’m not saying ‘don’t get promoted’. By all means, you know, fly. I have no issue with that. But you have to fly at the expense of denying people who are from your ethnicity the opportunity to fly like you. Her frustration isn’t just about racism, she explains, but rather how racism manifests itself in the very fabric of our society.

This is Why I Resist by Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu - Waterstones This is Why I Resist by Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu - Waterstones

This book is a passionate call to arms for anyone who wishes to look the other way. It is a must read.’ Professor Kate Williams Look, the conversation around white supremacy and the way white supremacists’ rhetoric is cloaked with an aura of respectability – it wears suits today, it wears nice dresses today, it’s on TV today. In this powerful talk, Shola makes a bold statement about why she will not be defined by the colour of her skin , gender or religion. Watch this talk to see how she engages the audience to join her revolution. Its author, Dr Shola has spent her life in anti-racism circles, studying how race affects people’s lives. She tells me, however, that the stars aligned in 2020 – so she could finally speak through her first book.Mos-Shogbamimu adds: “I am not surprised that they are talking about protecting certain statues without any sensitivity or understanding about the representation of these statues in the legacy of slavery and the legacy that continues systemic racism in our country today. I am not surprised. What is there to expect?” Since then, Dr Shola has made several TV appearances, speaking out on several issues pertaining to racism in Britain – in particular, Good Morning Britain, where it has been a pleasure to see her shut down Piers Morgan on several occasions. 🙂 Unfortunately for Remainers, the negative impact that’s going to come from Brexit – this is not going to be like, you know, the plagues that hit Biblical Egypt,” says the 45-year-old. Inclusive, exciting and focused, This Is Why I Resist is a fantastic point of reference for intersectional anti-racism work, no matter who you are.’ Munroe Bergdorf She opens her book with a quote from The Telegraph: ” Arguably one of the most toxic voices in Britain’s race relations debate.”

Book Review | This Is Why I Resist - Madeline Wilson-Ojo Book Review | This Is Why I Resist - Madeline Wilson-Ojo

One question I wrestle with after reading it is: what does Mos-Shogbamimu want white readers to take from the book? I ask because, on several occasions she states it’s not for her to educate a white audience or explain racism, but simultaneously she’s written a powerful resource which many will feel does just that. Is there a tension here? I think it’s important on the issue of race inclusion that we use every medium possible because every medium is already being used against race inclusion. So why not use the same medium to educate, to break down nuances, to make these subjects much more approachable by being yourself and saying ‘look, this is what this means’? What I’m doing there is deconstructing some very nuanced points in 60 seconds.” I’ve dedicated a chapter in my book to deconstructing what racism is, deconstructing what white privilege is and what they mean in everyday life. And on the same balance, I’m saying: here is what is happening. I would love to have a conversation with you. My book is that conversation. Perhaps some things you already agree with, some things you were not aware of, some things you totally disagree with: here is my conversation with you. It’s not just about using the N-word or, you know, carrying burning crosses. The reality is that every single language or rhetoric we hear today existed 50 years ago, 500 years ago, so what we have to do is not shy away from fighting the good fight.”A racial gatekeeper is one who uses their influence, their position, their power, their voice, to pull up the ladder behind them. What they do is legitimise the divisive rhetoric, the oppression, the system of oppression used against people from their own ethnicity. And they do this for self-preservation. They do this for the benefits they get from their proximity to white supremacy. 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.” British racism, as we all know, also carries its own special brand of subtlety. Dr Shola’s book, in contrast is anything but subtle. 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. This Is Why I Resist is notable for its striking honesty. It is both refreshing and brutal. Incredibly uncomfortable but undeniably needed.