"Why are white supremacists still openly marching in the United States? Why are undocumented children of color separated from their families and housed in cages? Where did racism come from? Why hasn’t it already disappeared? And what can young people do about it?"

The novel’s blurb above is a little misleading. Rise Up! doesn’t mention undocumented immigrants or how children of color are separated from their families and housed in cages even once as far I’ve noticed, which is bizarre as these topics are specifically listed in the book's online summary. That isn’t a criticism against the author, but rather an additional context for readers who want to know what exactly they’re getting into with this novel. 

Unlike the synopsis that might perhaps lead you to believe, Rise Up! isn’t really a guide for young people on becoming a better antiracist, but more so an examination of the language, terminology, and historical context behind racial issues. Dr. Fleming begins by presenting us with the difference between racist practices and racist ideas, before diving into prominent themes including, but not limited to, the origins of anti-Blackness and slavery, white supremacy, and settler-colonialism in relation to the genocide of Indigenous groups (most notably in the American context.) 

I think this book would be better suited for readers who are newcomers to their journey as an antiracist as it doesn't get into the nitty-gritty "how" and "why" as much as I’d have liked. The book discusses slavery and the contemporary issues we face but leaves a notable gap in between which seemed a little jarring. There’s no mention of redlining and the housing policies which contributed to the issue of intergenerational poverty among Black Americans, which I felt would have been helpful to make the book feel more comprehensive and complete. 

I think the author sacrificed a greater exploration of race in order to make this book more digestible to a young audience. Dr. Fleming is an articulate, well-spoken writer who evidently knows her subject matter as an expert sociologist; when she centers her attention on one particular issue, her intellect shines through. However, in attempting to summarize the historical and contemporary, as well as long-spanning events and their aftermath in a mere hundred pages, she sacrifices the complexity required to make this resource on antiracism a truly thorough one. 

If you're unfamiliar with how racism exists not only as a bias but as a set of structural systems that actively enable the oppression of BIPOC individuals, this book might be a helpful start. However, for such a well-written and thoroughly researched novel, I was admittedly expecting a little more depth to color its pages. 

* My digital review copy of “Rise Up!” is 100 pages however Macmillan Press lists the novel’s page count as being 256 pages. This information, as well as the blurb included above, is subject to change.