Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man's Education

Smith picks up the conversation started in Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the World and Me. Spurred by the pain surrounding recent shootings of young black males, he dissects white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, class-based elitism, self-hatred, violence, and untreated mental illness. If it sounds like a lot, it is, but don't be dissuaded; Smith is in control and delivers the message in short chapters, each with personal revelations and current cultural references. Young people will relate to his examination of Kanye West, LeBron James, Dave Chappelle, and Frank Ocean. Smith's honesty is raw and often funny ("I visited the campus once before deciding Hampton would be it, based on my highly sophisticated decision-making rationale: it just felt right, ya know?"), and his punches land squarely. Teens can't help but ponder the inequality of our nation's policies while also examining their effects on personal life. Smith challenges readers to ask the questions that will allow us to restructure, rephrase, and reconsider what we are ashamed of. What if we shifted our language to "invite in" all that is different from us? What if we no longer placed the burden of bravery on the marginalized, the people who try to fit into a hostile world? "Change is not inevitable, and building a world of true justice and equality will not happen if we don't commit to building those new selves." Smith will continue to be a voice for our nation in years to come.