Shame On Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging

Hi all, for November we’ll be reading Shame On Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging by Tessa McWatt.

About the book

An eight-year-old girl sits in a Toronto classroom when her teacher asks the class to define the word "negro." The girl does not know what it means. A boy points at her. Embarrassed, the teacher responds, "No, Tessa is something else." Then she turns to the child and asks, "What are you, Tessa?"

Tessa McWatt has been asked this question since childhood. The answer to that question is long, and complicated, and rich, and at times painful. Through her personal story of growing up with a racialised identity and imposed upon her, the author explores belonging, heritage, colonialism, shame, identity and the ways people are sorted into social and cultural hierarchies.

Why I chose this book

I’ve only just started the book, but it’s one that resonates deeply with me and I suspect it will also strike a chord with others who’ve been asked the same question; or are unpacking ideas and expectations around identity and belonging. So come break bread with me :)