Sacrificing “Sum of Us”: Why Black Power Can’t Help Everyone (Part 1)

In Search of Black Power

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Heather McGee’s book, The Sum of Us, is touted as a new approach to racial justice. Her arguments, showcased from TED Talks to late-night shows, suggest that framing investments in Black communities as beneficial for everyone can counter white backlash. However, this emotional appeal to multiracial coalitions undermines Black autonomy by decentering demands for Black power, accepting interest convergence, and portraying benefits to white people from pro-Black policies as necessary and desirable.
Using South Africa and critiques of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we challenge McGee’s claim that racial reconciliation in America can occur without fundamentally redistributing resources.

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In Search of Black Power is a Black-owned internet show and podcast. This podcast is sponsored and produced by Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS).
The internet show is published in collaboration with Black Liberation Media (BLM)