2Leaf Press Publishes Highly Anticipated Book, "What Does It Mean to Be White in America?"

New York, New York, April 25, 2016 (Newswire.com) - 2Leaf Press is thrilled to announce the publication of its highly anticipated book, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? BREAKING THE WHITE CODE OF SILENCE, A COLLECTION OF PERSONAL NARRATIVES, a collection that asks just that. Edited by 2Leaf Press editors, Gabrielle David and Sean Frederick Forbes, this 680 page groundbreaking collection of 82 personal narratives reflect a vibrant range of stories from white Americans who speak frankly and openly about race. Available on Amazon.com and other online outlets; bookstore and library distribution is available on Ingram, YPB Library Services, and 2LP Distribution Direct (www.2leafpress.org).  The eBook will be available May 1, 2016. Visit our WHITE IN AMERICA website (www.whiteinamerica.org) and learn more about the contributors.

While the literature on “whiteness” has long been dominated by an academic point of view, editors David and Forbes came to the realization that there was an unmet need for an anthology of personal narratives about white race and culture from the perspective of white Americans. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? was conceived when racial tensions in the U.S. has escalated in a way not seen in decades. “In reality, racism has never gone away,” says editor David and publisher of 2Leaf Press. “It’s been bubbling just beneath the surface for years. In fact, when the Civil Rights Act was signed in 1964, certain forces in this country set upon deconstructing it for capitalistic purposes using race as a wedge, and what we are witnessing today is a direct result of that.”

Praise for WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? "These deeply honest personal stories examine the effect and affect of being white — which for so many years has meant ignorance or denial of how racism benefits and forges our own Caucasian identity. Reading this important collection, I am reminded of how processing whiteness is a journey — although we may all be at different points of discourse, it is still critical to enter the conversation. May this book get people talking." —Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of LEAVING TIME and SMALL GREAT THINGS

Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author

The stories in WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? cover a wide gamut of American history from contributors around the United States; from reminiscing about segregation and Jim Crow, to today’s headlines of police brutality, politics and #BlackLivesMatters. The variety in style and subject is represented by people of different backgrounds who have created an absorbing and thought-provoking collection that explores race. Some offer viewpoints one may not necessarily agree with, yet it is clear that each contributor is committed to answering the question as honestly as possible. 

“In these personal narratives, one will see that there are many dialogues enacted on the page,” explains editor Forbes. “Many of the contributors freely admitted to having problems answering the title question. Writing any type of personal narrative is challenging, uncomfortable, and often times painful, and the contributors in WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? took on a brave and monumental task by speaking candidly about race.”

With an Introduction by racial justice educator, Debby Irving, and an afterword by African American scholar and poet, Tara Betts, the purpose of WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? is to, as Irving points out in her introduction, “break the code of silence” so that we can engage in frank conversations about race. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? provides an invaluable starting point that includes numerous references and further readings for those who seek a deeper understanding of race in America.

About 2Leaf Press
2Leaf Press challenges the status quo by publishing alternative fiction, non-fiction, poetry and bilingual works by an international network of activists, academics, poets and authors dedicated to diversity and social justice that bridge scholarship with accessibility to the general public. 2Leaf Press produces high quality and beautifully produced hardcover, paperback and ebook formats through our series: 2LP Translations, 2LP Classics, Nuyorican World Series, and 2LP Explorations in Diversity. 2Leaf Press is an imprint of the Intercultural Alliance of Artists & Scholars, Inc. (IAAS), a NY-based nonprofit organization founded in 2000 that promotes multicultural literature through innovative programming  www.2leafpress.org.

Source: 2Leaf Press