Your Black Friend Has Something to Say: A Memoir in Essays

(Paperback)

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Your Black Friend Has Something To Say is a powerful debut and an intimate examination of race and identity. For thirty years Melva Graham has lived and worked in neighborhoods that are predominantly white and wealthy. Just to be clear, she is neither. The only thing that makes her more uncomfortable than talking about herself is talking about raceand she has decided to do both. In this bold and brutally honest memoir Melva answers back to the bias and bigotry she has experienced from childhood to adulthood, as she attends private school in a Pittsburgh suburb, studies acting at NYU, works as a nanny for the one percent, and balances a social life in between. This narrative depicts one womans journey to own her truth, find her voice, and take back her power.

Reviews

"In Your Black Friend Has Something to Say , Melva Graham digs deep into the dangers of being labeled a token and the insidious ways racism creeps into everyday interactions. These poignant essays are an insightful and honest exploration of race relations, providing context and history as to how a seemingly innocuous comment can turn into a harmful microaggression. This should be required reading." Brandy Colbert, award-winning author, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph

Author Bio

Melva Graham grew up in Sewickley, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama. She lives in Los Angeles and is the proud aunt of a niece and two nephews. Your Black Friend Has Something To Say is her first book.