Xolo Score 4.5/5
Still True: The Evolution of an Unexpected Journalist by Reagan E.J. Jackson is a compilation of Jackson’s greatest works across ten years as a journalist. Jackson covers many topics that sit at the intersection of race, gender, and class. From study abroad programs to neighborhood advocacy and expositions on Seattle arts and culture, the essays in Still True are powered by Jackson’s wit, empathy, and journalistic integrity. Jackson intentionally uses her skills to elevate the stories of those often ignored in mainstream reporting. She also provides nuance through her experience as a Black woman trying to make sense of her life and career in Seattle.
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
Jackson’s narrative is deeply personal and engaging, providing readers with an intimate look into her life with a journalistic edge. She intentionally centers marginalized voices in her essays and calls out the systemic inequities in programs and institutions that make a person’s life unfairly difficult. Jackson offers nuances in her essays that challenge readers to look at prevalent social topics like gentrification or the Black Lives Matter movement beyond the mainstream sound bites.
One of the standout aspects of Still True is Jackson’s commitment to analyzing these many topics through an intersectional lens. She isn’t afraid to inspect all perspectives, no matter how unpopular. Her essays often call in the good intentions of racial or social “allies” for their performative activism meant to assuage their guilt. Still, they are unwilling to be “complicit in a struggle towards liberation.” Jackson makes it clear that it’s not about blaming your colleagues or neighbors for being bystanders in systemic oppression but that BIPOC folks and those with marginalized identities see the hypocrisy in their inaction. It shouldn’t be surprising when their supposed good deeds are met with distrust and contempt.
The book is also notable for its exploration of the power of storytelling. Jackson recounts when a teacher inspired her to write stories and become a writer. Her stories deserved to take up space among the rows of “bland Dick and Jane primers” that overflowed in her school’s library. Jackson intentionally reiterates that her story, along with many Black women, is one of mental and physical exhaustion. She lives with the expectation that she can withstand all thrown at her and stand firm. When she has her inner fragility, that aches to come out and be comforted. These complexities within her own story allow her to dig deeper into her journalism and give nuance to her articles.
Still True is a must-read for anyone interested in journalism, social justice, and the power of storytelling.
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| To what extent are there BIPOC leading characters or perspectives? | How well does the author avoid writing BIPOC experiences through the white gaze? | To what extent does the author challenge white-centered beliefs? | How well does the book explore nuances between intersectional identities? |
Score | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
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