Summary

In Chapter Twelve, Oluo writes about some of her negative experiences in school, things which may seem small but are in fact microaggressions. These include being told she cannot wear red lipstick without looking like a clown, that she is too loud, that her bum was too big, and that she does not have to try in school because affirmative action will guarantee her college admission. In her senior year of high school, Oluo is invited to a conference for promising students of color. For the first time, she feels like she truly fits in and can be herself. Next, she writes about what microaggressions really are and how they affect people. She explains that they are: small and can easily be explained away; cumulative; perpetrated by many different people; and often perpetrated unknowingly. She offers examples such as the...