Austin Channing Brown’s first encounter with a racialised America came at age seven, when she discovered her parents named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. Growing up in majority-white schools and churches, she explains that she ‘had to learn what it means to love Blackness,’ a journey that led to a lifetime spent navigating America’s racial divide as a writer, speaker and expert helping organisations practice genuine inclusion.

In a time when nearly every institution (schools, churches, universities, businesses) claims to value diversity in its mission statement, Austin talks about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice. Her stories bear witness to the complexity of America’s social fabric and invite us to confront apathy and discover how Blackness – if we let it – can save us all.

Austin Channing Brown is in conversation with Madhu Krishnan, Director of the Centre for Black Humanities, University of Bristol.

Please note: this is a pre-recorded event.

Buy a copy of I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness from our friends at Waterstones.

It's important to us that ideas and debate are affordable to everyone. It's also important that our commentators, artists, writers, poets and thinkers are paid. This is a Pay What You Can event. You are invited to choose your own contribution to the event, from £0 to £8. All proceeds go towards supporting our speakers and sustaining Festival of Ideas. The option to attend for free is available for all online events.

Festival of Ideas: Austin Channing Brown