Told through a collection of personal essays, BLACK BOYS LIKE ME is Matthew R. Morris' memoir about his experiences growing up in Canada as a Black man and becoming an educator. Morris shares about how hip-hop culture, the public schooling system and sports have shaped and influenced his character.

As a Canadian myself, I have always taken an interest in reading books by Canadian authors, specifically from Toronto. Canadian literature is so underrated and I feel the same with this memoir. Morris shares his experiences in both Canada and the US as a Black man in a raw and thought-provoking way as he grapples with questions about his identity and people's perceptions of him and Black people in general.

Some of Morris's lived experiences that he recounts in detail will make you turn your head. I was surprised (though I really shouldn't be) at some of the things he had to witness and experience— as an educator, as a football player, as a child of biracial parents, and as a Black man. Morris shares about the relationship he has with his parents and at times, it can be heartbreaking to read. I appreciate the transparency and vulnerability Morris demonstrates.

I think this is a great book and conversation starter for many and hope more people will pick this up!

Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC and Libro.fm for the ALC, read by the author himself!

thank you to #netgalley for the e-arc!

This book is an honest account of growing up as a biracial & Black masc person in Canada & the US (both settler colonialist countries with deeply rooted white supremacy values) and struggling with racial identity and Black masculinity, an examination of the subtle and insidious way racism creeps into our minds and affects us in every aspect of our lives, and a not-so-gentle reminder to non-Black folks that Black folks are HUMAN BEINGS, and their experiences and behaviours will vary from person to person, just like any other human beings. From Islamophobia to anti-Black racism, the dehumanization of BIPOC folks is still very much a serious issue that causes real harm, from greeting a Black person you meet the first time "the Black way" despite knowing nothing about them to justifying ethnic cleansing and genocide because they are probably just all terrorists. Many people refuse to acknowledge this as they rush towards a "colour-blind" ideal. I've come to understand that when people say they are "colour-blind," what they really mean is they will refuse to acknowledge racism as a real issue that still impacts us and society.

I will be honest: this book made me feel embarrassed about how little I know about the lived experiences of Black people and Black culture. Sure, I have read a few history and fictional books by Black authors, but it is nothing like interacting with and learning about a person in real life. I suppose that is one of the powers of memoirs. Many things the author wrote about made me go "wait what? I had never known this," such as the HUGE influence and personality-defining power that Black hip-hop artists and athletes have on young Black masc folks. I am also still thinking about the comparison between Black athletes and the (often white) owners of sports teams, and Black enslaved people and white slave owners. Sure, Black athletes do get much better compensations comparing to enslaved people in the past, but they similarly put their physical bodies in harm's way and can often get hurt or disabled, while white people sitting in a more managerial role just reap all the benefits.

I deeply appreciate this book and the author opening up about his experience, even if I struggled to get through the book at times because the language is a bit difficult for me.