Surviving the White Gaze

"Surviving the White Gaze" is a poignant memoir by cultural critic Rebecca Carroll that explores her painful journey to find her racial identity in a predominantly white America. Growing up as the only black person in a small New Hampshire town, Carroll struggled to articulate her isolation, despite a loving and idyllic childhood with her artistic parents. Her search for identity is further complicated when she meets her white birth mother, who consistently undermines her blackness and self-esteem. The memoir tells an intimate story of resilience, documenting Carroll's difficult journey through depression, eating disorders, and excessive drinking, and ultimately her path towards healing through chosen family. An illuminating and timely examination of racism and racial identity in America.