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My guest for this episode is the brilliant Julie Lythcott-Haims., the author of the New York Times' bestselling, and in my opinion, majorly game-changing-in-the-parenting-space book, How to Raise an Adult. She wrote it after noticing that prospective college students at Stanford University, where she was dean of admissions, were being over-parented and as a result, were lacking the resources to develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and inner determination necessary for success.In this episode, Julie and I talk about about what it takes for a child to be successful—looking at how we define success along the way—and explore what we as parents can do to help our child develop the agency they need to become self-actualized adults. I loved having this conversation with Julie and am still noodling on the many takeaways and aha moments I experienced. I hope you get a lot out of it. Julie Lythcott-Haims' How to Raise an Adult has been published in over two dozen countries and gave rise to a TED talk that became one of the top TED Talks of 2016 with over 3.5 million views and counting, as well as a forthcoming sequel on how to be an adult, for young adults. Two years later Julie published Real American: A Memoir, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning memoir which examines racism through her experience as a Black and biracial person. Things you'll learn from this episodeWhat is at the root of fear-based parentingWhy Julie says most parents are raising kids from a place of love, ego, and fearChallenges and hardships every child should face in order to be ready to be an adultHow we do our children a disservice when we “become” their default executive functioningHow we can (and need to) redefine what success looks likeThe connection between successful adults and a child doing chores (and how to get started if you're not doing it now)Why happiness in our kids stems from loveThe benefits of hands-on work for kids developing a sense of agencyHow to help our kids bolster their self-advocacy skills Resources mentioned for helping differently wired teens launchJulie Lythcott Haims' websiteHow to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success Real American: A Memoir Julie's TED Talk: How to Raise Successful KidsJulie's TEDxGunnHighSchool Talk: Throw Out the Checklisted ChildhoodJulie's TEDxStanford Talk: Be Your Authentic SelfHow to Be An Adult Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram
In 7th grade, I was invited by my teacher to join a creative writing group. I respectfully declined. Then, during a parent/teacher conference, that 7th grade teacher told my mom I declined. In all of my mom's wisdom, we had a discussion about it and encouraged me to reconsider. I still said no. For me, it felt like an unsafe club because there were no stories I could related too as a young black girl. In this episode, I would love to introduce you to Julie Lythcott-Haims. Julie is no stranger to telling a great story. Not only does she share how her writing was rejected for decades but she also shares her journey on how writing allowed her to find the most important love. The love she had for herself. Julie Lythcott-Haims is an American writer, speaker and human. She has written three non-fiction books: How to Raise an Adult; Real American, a memoir; and Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. She served as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University. I invite you to join our conversation as Julie and I discuss: Self acceptance Societal Rejection Privilege Mindfulness Internalized oppression Race in books Inclusion NY Times Best Seller Showing up Affordable housing Mental Health Honorable Mentions The controversy over the new immigration novel American Dirt, explained 5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life Faces of Power: 80% Are White, Even as U.S. Becomes More Diverse More candidates explore run for Palo Alto City Council Julie For Palo Alto City Council Let's Talk Excited to hear more of what Julie has to say? Join her in these spaces: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlythcotthaims LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlythcotthaims/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlythcotthaims/ Website: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/ How to Raise an Adult: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/how-to-raise-an-adult Real American: A Memoir: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/real-american Your Turn: How to Be an Adult: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/your-turn
You are not a piece of clay that is meant to be formed into something someone else wants you to be. You are a human being. A human being with dreams, goals, passions, interests, talents...You're not a drone, a puppet, or a dog on a leash. You are whatever YOU want to be and feel called to be in this world. Julie Lythcott-Haims, a New York Times bestselling author and a speaker, didn't always see her work encompassing writing, speaking, mentoring, and activism. She went into college unsure on what to do but curious on how she could make an impact; a good impact in the world. She started with studying American Studies, shifting to Law and eventually finding herself working in higher education, serving college students. As she worked with students, she found a huge passion for leading young adults and parents of young adults, so much so, she decided to write a book and go on to write two more: Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, Real American: A Memoir, and How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success.On this episode of Success is Subjective, Julie joins Joanna to share her journey going from failing communications class to now making a living as a communicator with 3 books and a TedTalk. Her story of overcoming challenges as a woman of color working to make a name for herself, will be sure to inspire you to take action today on your passions. Listen in for Julie's insight on how imperative it is to figure out what you're good at, what you love, and where you feel a sense of belonging in the world and to not let anyone stop you. You CAN live the life you want to lead, despite what anyone else has to think or say about it. What You Will LearnWhat it was like being raised knowing that higher education was imperativeHow going through school was for Julie, as a woman of colorHow Julie's relationship with her mother really drove her actions in school What sparked Julie's interest in studying American Studies How American Studies got her to pursue LawWhen Julie realized that corporate Law wasn't right for herWhen she decided to pursue bigger passions with serving studentsThe recurring micromanaging she saw from parents of college students which led her to write her first bookWhat Julie has learned from working in higher education and how she uses that experience in her work now, as an entrepreneur The Venn diagram of a fulfilling lifeHow important it is for parents to learn to let go of the reins in their young adult's lifeConnect with Julie Lythcott-HaimsJulie Lythcott-Haim's BlogJulie Lythcott-Haims's Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokConnect with Joanna Lilley Lilley ConsultingLilley Consulting on Instagram Lilley Consulting on Facebook Sponsored by: College Parent Survival NetworkEmail joanna@lilleyconsulting.com
In this episode, I speak to Julie Lythcott-Haims the author of Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. Julie is also the author of the New York Times bestseller How to Raise an Adult, a book on overparenting (with a popular TED Talk on the topic), and Real American: A Memoir. Julie believes in humans and is deeply interested in what gets in our way. Her work encompasses writing, speaking, mentoring, and activism.In the conversation, Julie and I discuss:Vulnerability and confidencePlanning and flexibilityHow to avoid perfectionismChoosing your own path in life Forgiveness and much more Connect with Julie Lythcott-Haims:Homepage: julielythcotthaims.com/Twitter: twitter.com/jlythcotthaimsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlythcotthaims/Follow In Search of Wisdom:Twitter: twitter.com/searchofwisdomInstagram: instagram.com/searchofwisdompodcastSign-up for The PATH our free newsletter (short reflections on wisdom).
When we over-parent and rescue all the time, we're depriving our kids from living. Life is truly an active verb. And when we focus on making things easier in the short term, we deprive our kids of the skills they need for the long haul. In this episode we speak with Julie Lythcott-Haims who is the New York Times bestselling author of the anti-helicopter parenting manifesto How to Raise an Adult, Real American, and her newest book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. Julie believes in humans and is deeply interested in what gets in our way. She shares with us how parents can sometimes get focused on the short term gains and lose sight of those long haul parenting goals. And in the end, it's our kids who pay the price. We some of our best “Oh crap! I'm an adult now” moments and how we found strength in them, just as our kids will! Resources We Shared: Me & My Friendships Book Julie Lythcott-Haims How to Raise an Adult Real American: A Memoir Your Turn: How to Be an Adult Leave Us a Podcast Review (How to Video) Download the Transcripts HERE The best mom is a happy mom. To better take care of you, download our No Guilt Mom mindset here . These reminders will help you second guess less, and feel more confidence every day in your parenting.
This week we're learning how to grow up with help from writer Julie Lythcott-Haims. Julie is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise An Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, as well as Real American: A Memoir. Listen to hear Julie's advice on navigating your career path fresh out of college, how to get better at connecting with strangers, and how to best support a young person in this transition into full adulthood.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Julie Lythcott-Haims is a former corporate lawyer and Dean of Freshmen and Admissions at Stanford University, motivational speaker, and author of Real American: A Memoir, How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, Writing Memoir, and Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. Our wide ranging conversation begins with her experience growing up Black and biracial in America. We also talk about the need to purge perfection from our lives, especially parenting. And she gives tips for helicopter parents who wish to change their ways. Lots packed into this thirty-eight minute interview. And be sure to check her out at https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/. Enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finding Fertile Ground Podcast: Stories of Grit, Resilience, and Connection
This week my third “Writer on Resilience” is Julie Lythcott-Haims, writer, speaker, and former corporate lawyer and Stanford dean. Her first book was How to Raise an Adult, an anti-helicopter parenting manifesto. I read her moving and inspiring second book, Real American: A Memoir, which was my top nonfiction read for 2020. She has a third book coming out in April: Your Turn: How to Be an Adult.What better day to launch this interview with Julie than the first day of Black History Month? Julie was descended from immigrants and an African who was enslaved. She is Black and biracial, daughter of an African-American father and a white, British mother. She grew up mostly in white spaces, which affected her ability to develop a healthy sense of self. Throughout her childhood, Julie experienced microaggressions like a friend who loved “Gone With the Wind” telling her she thought of Julie as “normal, not Black.” In high school her locker was defaced with the N-word. And when she got into Stanford, the parent of a friend doubted her academic credentials, as if she had only been let in because of her race. She didn’t know then how lonely she felt.Julie’s book Real American was like a love letter to her parents and their stories. Their marriage was considered illegal in 14 states when they got married, and both of them had incredible childhood and family stories. They both broke a lot of glass ceilings. She wishes her parents had realized she could have benefited from being around other people of color who could mentor and reassure her.Stanford was the first place for Julie to be in a healthy population of people of color. She hoped she would find a sense of connection and belonging…but she soon realized that the rest of the Black kids had something in common that she lacked: a lived, conscious committedness to issues that impact Black people.Julie’s dad told her that white boys would be her friend but would never date her. In Real American, she reflects that she married a white Jewish man as a route to belong in America. Her husband, Dan, is an artist and worked as primary caregiver for their family for much of their marriage. Julie realizes now she was trained to please white people, so of course she would end up with a white person. If she had waited to settle down until she loved the Blackness in her, it’s possible she might have ended up with a person of her color. When I interviewed Julie, it was shortly after the insurrection in the capital and before we inaugurated our first Black and biracial VP, Kamala Harris. I told her I felt her title Real American seems more important than ever. Julie wrote that Trayvon Martin’s death was her personal Pearl Harbor, the line demarcating before and after she knew Blackness is the core chord in her life, because she is raising a Black son. While the white nationalists that stormed the capital call themselves patriots and people have been saying this is not what we are as America, Julie can trace her ancestry back to Sylvie, a slave who worked on a plantation in Charleston, SC. You can read Julie’s thoughts about the insurrection here.“I feel that I'm more a real American than ever. I think we're all real Americans…I don't feel in any way diminished by this. I feel sad, I feel emboldened. I feel I have to do my part to rescue our democracy from the clutches of these sorts of willful lies and conspiracy theories.” For more details on my conversation with Julie, view photos, learn about her books on helicopter parenting, and purchase her books, visit this fuller-detailed blog post.
More at www.philosophytalk.org/shows/fractured-identities. Despite tremendous strides made towards civil and political rights in the United States, discrimination and exclusion based on race, class, gender, and sexuality are still pervasive. As a result, individuals seen as "the other" often experience a painful inner fracturing W.E.B. Du Bois called "double consciousness." So, how does one shape a coherent identity in a world where one is considered "other"? What effects do micro aggressions have on the ability to develop a unified self? And what role might community play in helping heal fractured identities? The Philosophers identify with Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of "Real American: A Memoir."
Episode 108 - Julie Lythcott-Haims Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Julie Lythcott-Haims. Julie's bio: "We humans need agency in order to make our way forward; I am deeply interested in what impedes us. My first book, the 2015 New York Times bestseller How to Raise an Adult, details how a parent can rob a child from developing agency by over-parenting. It emerged from my decade as Stanford University's Dean of Freshmen, where I was known for my fierce advocacy for young adults and my fierce critique of the growing trend of parental involvement in the day-to-day lives of college students which was becoming a nationwide trend. I received the university's Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for creating “the” atmosphere that defines the undergraduate experience, and toward the end of my tenure as dean I began speaking and writing widely on the harm of helicopter parenting. How to Raise an Adult has been published in over two dozen countries and gave rise to a TED talk that became one of the top TED Talks of 2016 with over 4 million views, as well as a forthcoming sequel on how to be an adult, for young adults. Two years later I published Real American: A Memoir, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning memoir which examines racism through my experience as a Black and biracial person. In it, I detail my personal battle with the low self-esteem that American racism routinely inflicts on people of color, and depict how microaggressions in addition to blunt-force insults can puncture a person's inner life with a thousand sharp cuts. Real American expresses also, through my path to self-acceptance, the healing power of community in overcoming the hurtful isolation of being incessantly considered “the other.” In addition to publishing two non-fiction books, my work has appeared throughout the media including in the New York Times, the Times Literary Supplement of London, the Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic, Parents, AsUs, the PBS News Hour, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, The Today Show, National Public Radio and its affiliates, C-SPAN, the TD Jakes Show, and numerous podcasts and radio shows. I serve on the boards of Foundation for a College Education in East Palo Alto, CA, Global Citizen Year, in Oakland, CA, Common Sense Media, in San Francisco, and on the advisory board of Lean In in Menlo Park, CA. I am a member of the Peninsula chapter of Threshold Choir and I volunteer with the hospital program No One Dies Alone. I am a former corporate lawyer and Stanford dean, and I hold a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard, and an MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my partner of over thirty years, our two teenagers, and my mother." Click here to visit her website: www.julielythcott-haims.com Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode. The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund. Please visit our website for more information: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com The Curiosity Hour Podcast is listener supported! To donate, click here: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/donate/ Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/ Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.
This conversation with best-selling New York Times author and Ted talk speaker Julie Lythcott-Haims was over two years in the making and yet came just at the right time. Author of How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success and Real American: A Memoir, Julie’s interested in the human experience and writes non-fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry with the aim of helping humans thrive. She has a JD from Harvard Law School, an MFA in writing from California College of the Arts and holds her BA in American Studies from Stanford University, where she later returned to serve as Dean of Freshman and Undergraduate Advising, among other roles. She currently lives in Silicon Valley with her partner of more than thirty years, her two teenagers, and her mother. Born to an African-American father and a British mother, Julie moved often in her childhood from Nigeria to New York to Wisconsin to Washington D.C., where her father was part of the Carter Administration, and then back to Wisconsin again. Along the way, she struggled to find her identity as a bi-racial woman who faced stereotypes and micro-aggressions about her blackness that sent her on a journey from self-loathing to self-love, something she reflects on with powerful honesty in her memoir. Themes of self-exploration, self-sufficiency and service weave thread through this incredibly enriching conversation with Julie. We discuss her healing journey with her mother and how that impacts how she parents her children today. Julie shares the lessons that she learned about how to successfully raise adults from her years as the Dean at Stanford and extensive research that informs her best-selling book and popular Ted talk on the subject. She reveals the way that she has daringly made career pivots that others thought were crazy, what’s next on the horizon for her, and how she may even create her own radio show one day. And, we talk candidly about her journey to embracing self-care, about her commitment to her partner of over thirty years, and to the impact on her body and sexuality of moving toward menopause. I was struck by Julie’s continued evolution in her own awareness, and her commitment to personal growth and to pursuing her own purposeful path, parallels evident in the wisdom she holds for us about how to raise our children to be healthy adults. Finally, I’m inspired by her bold challenge to us, to look at how stereotypes and biases about black people show up in ourselves, and to do the conscious work of taking them apart. This conversation is a powerful one that has already begun to shift my awareness. I look forward to hearing what Julie’s life lessons, wisdom, and revelations shift for you when you listen. Much appreciation, P.S. Know someone who you think would appreciate this episode? Push forward and share this conversation! In This Episode We Talk About: Julie’s journey of healing with her mother, now 80 years old, and how a third chapter of their relationship led to reciprocal learning across three generations, between Julie’s mother, Julie, and Julie’s daughter. What happens when our egos impact our parenting and the power of realizing that we are not our kids; they’re not a mini-me, a pet, a trophy or a bonsai tree. They are their own person. What Julie’s experience as a Stanford Dean taught her about how to raise adults, including the two most essential things she learned kids need: to do chores and to be loved. How a commitment to life-long learning inspired Julie to make daring career pivots, from attorney to school administrator to writer. The three more books that Julie knows she has inside of her. Julie’s own evolution in her understanding of what self-care means and the ways that she invests in herself today. The practices Julie has committed to with her husband to keep their thirty plus year connection strong. The impact of peri-menopause and menopause in how we feel in our bodies and on our libido in particular, and my commitment to focus a future episode on this subject. The importance of becoming aware of the stereotypes we hold about black people and Julie’s challenge to us to consciously undo them. Resources and Topics Mentioned: Thriving Child Summit – Dr. Elisa Song’s Summit where I first learned about Julie. How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success Real American: A Memoir Julie’s Ted Talk On How To Raise an Adult – the one Chris and I watched and then discussed with Ryan Ep 05: Live your E.P.I.C. Life to Help Your Children Thrive – my conversation with Dr. Song from the Thriving Child Summit Ep 46: “Owning our Truth” with Renegade Mothering’s Janelle Hanchett Women Podcasters in Solidarity where you can find the episodes I recorded on the subjects of anti-racism and police brutality This Episode is Dedicated by: Tamara Sobomehin, chasing the human dream, working to unleash the brilliance and potential of people by cultivating a culture of positive creation supported by the foundation of effective human and technical systems. Dedicated in honor of Tamara’s mother Paula Denise Lacy. Street Code Academy – The organization Tamara runs with her husband Tunde. Recharge Ravenswood – The website to learn more about Tamara’s campaign for Ravenswood City School Board. Team Esface – The exceptional basketball program, founded by the Sobomehin brothers, that Ryan participated in and where we first met Tamara and her family. This Week’s Challenge: For this week’s challenge, I encourage you to read Julie’s powerful memoir, The Real American, to explore the impact of stereotypes about black people on her life experience. Then, follow Julie’s invitation to notice when stereotypes about black people kick in for us. She says, “If you’re not loving black people, ask yourself why? Be interested in that. Black people are humans worthy of love, compassion and care like anybody else is. If you notice a stereotype kicks in when you see a black person, see if you can immediately say to yourself – what would I do if this was a white person? Or a person of any race other than black? When a stereotype pops up, name it and tell yourself I’m discarding it. Try interacting with that person as if they were your own brother, sister, grandmother, father, friend or family.” It’s our job to acknowledge the impact of stereotypes and biases and undo it. Learn More About Julie: Julies Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Announcements: Mother’s Quest Circle If you’re on a quest to live an E.P.I.C. life, but you’ve been feeling challenged, isolated, or unsure of the path ahead, the Mother’s Quest Circle may be the source of connection you’re looking for. The Mother’s Quest Circle provides inspiration, coaching and community for an intimate group of no more than 10 women who are ready to say “yes” to: Reflect together, in a community of like-minded mothers, on what matters most To consciously live their version (not someone else’s) of an E.P.I.C. life To take bold action toward one of the E.P.I.C. life guideposts before the end of the sessions To hold space for sharing, coaching, and championing one another so we are “in community” on our journey If you’re looking to end the year strong, now is a great time to make an investment in yourself and what matters most to you. Apply here. Say It. Sweat It. Get It. Challenge Sign up today to come along with me on Erin’s week-long challenge where she will give you super short, easy to follow workouts, that combine movement and mantras, to inspire you, physically, mentally and spiritually. During the challenge, I’ll release an episode on the podcast with Erin to give you insight into her journey and why movement plays such a powerful role in her life. Starts Mon. Nov. 5th! Sign up Today! Support the Podcast If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution. If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/
Show #193 | Guest: Julie Lythcott-Haims | Show Summary: One of In Deep’s favorite guests returns with her new book, Real American: A Memoir. She pulls no punches in her recollections of growing up a biracial black woman in America. With the same frank style that’s endeared her to readers, students and Ted Talk audiences,
Ep. 154: Julie Lythcott-Haims served as Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising for more than a decade at Stanford University, where she received the Dinkelspiel Award for her contributions to the undergraduate experience. A mother of two teenagers, she has spoken and written widely on the phenomenon of helicopter parenting, and her work has appeared on TEDx talks and in Forbes and the Chicago Tribune. Recently, she penned her book Real American: A Memoir, which she sat down with Alex to discuss. Take a listen. For more on Julie please go to: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/ For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Intro and Outro Music is Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons - By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
The daughter of an African-American father and a white mother, Julie Lythcott-Haims' newest memoir, Real American: A Memoir, details her journey in that world - from being a mixed-race teen to her years as a Stanford undergraduate and Harvard Law School. Julie Lythcott-Haims and Bakari Kitwana, Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project and author of The Hip-Hop Generation, discuss growing up black and biracial in America.
Having a successful African-American physician as a father and a white mother who read her the works of Black authors was no barrier against the racism Julie Lythcott-Haims faced growing up in white Wisconsin. In her new book, ----Real American: A Memoir----, she describes her journey to self-acceptance and insight about what it means to be Black in America.
New York Times best-selling author, Julie Lythcott-Haimes, discusses her new memoir, "Real American: A Memoir". The book is about growing up as a biracial black woman in America.
Katie interviews Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author of Real American: A Memoir and former Dean of the Freshman at Stanford University where she was known as “Dean Julie.” They talk about stereotypes like “oreos” and angry black women, the committee that anoints black people, language and black literary mothers, and whether there is hope for America. Photo credit: Kristina-Vetter Sources: Buy Real American: A Memoir from my favorite bookstore Read more on Julie’s black literary mother Lucille Clifton Music: Blank and Kytt - RSPN Marc Perry (aka Holy MTNS)
Real American: A Memoir (Henry Holt & Company) Julie Lythcott-Haims, the New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, has written a different kind of book this time out – a deeply personal, biting and affecting account of her life growing up as a biracial black woman in America in Real American: A Memoir Bringing a brisk, poetic sensibility to her prose, Lythcott-Haims stirringly evokes her personal battle with the low self-esteem that American racism routinely inflicts on people of color. The only child of an African-American father and a white British mother, she shows indelibly how so-called "micro" aggressions in addition to blunt force insults can puncture a person's inner life with a thousand sharp cuts. Real American expresses also, through Lythcott-Haims’s path to self-acceptance, the healing power of community in overcoming the hurtful isolation of being incessantly considered "the other" Real American is a fearless and powerful memoir. Lythcott-Haims’s eloquent words deserve to be studied, memorized, and repeated. Here is a book that should be read again and again, and then once more after that. Praise for Real Americans “A compelling, incisive and thoughtful examination of race, origin and what it means to be called an American. Engaging, heartfelt and beautifully written, Lythcott-Haims explores the American spectrum of identity with refreshing courage and compassion.” —Bryan Stevenson, New York Times bestselling author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption “Real American is a courageous, achingly honest meditation on what it means to come to consciousness as a mixed race child and adult in a nation where Black lives weren't meant to matter.” —Michelle Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness “Breaks the silence on what it means to grow up mixed-race in America. Her spare but powerful prose has an emotional rawness that will profoundly resonate with all readers and help many feel a little less alone.” ―Heidi W. Durrow, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky “A cathartic and bold truth-telling.” ―Danzy Senna, bestselling author of Caucasia and New People “A powerful, honest book that should be required reading for everyone.” —Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers and Equal of the Sun “To write with such an open heart about race and Blackness takes great courage. To do so in prose that is at once elegant and raw takes great talent.” —Ayelet Waldman, bestselling author of Bad Mother and of A Really Good Day “A true achievement . . . so much more than a personal memoir . . . [Lythcott-Haims] channels the shrewdness of Eula Biss and the compassion of Ta-Nehisi Coates.” ―Lee Daniel Kravetz, international bestselling author of Strange Contagion and Supersurvivors “Powerful . . . a memoir that [illuminates] the psychic cost of racism to those who are cast as ‘other.’ The journey of self-healing and the empowerment . . . is a story of triumph from which all of us can learn.” —Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Can We Talk About Race? “Stands for, and stands up for, Americans who are questioned, confronted, disregarded and unnerved by our citizen country . . . Real American will be one of those books that is passed from hand to hand, with passages marked where readers find strong words that speak truth.” ―A.J. Verdelle, author of The Good Negress “. . . shows once again, plainly and unforgettably, that if you are Black in America, it does not matter who you are, racism will come knocking. Lythcott-Haims . . . . Real American is the story of that insidious harm and of a woman who became alert to the American racism within herself and fought back. . . . not only an excellent, satisfying read but a book that can help us “stay woke”—as we must—to the sometimes stealthy and always life-threatening danger of racism, so that we all can fight back.” —U.S.Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) Julie Lythcott-Haims served as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University, where she received the Dinkelspiel Award for her contributions to the undergraduate experience. She holds a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard Law School, and an MFA in writing from California College of the Arts. She is a member of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, and resides in the Bay Area with her husband, their two teenagers, and her mother.
Real American by Julie Lythcott-Haims, bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, is a deeply personal account of her life growing up as a biracial black woman in America. The only child of an African American father and a white British mother, she shows how so-called "micro" aggressions in addition to blunt force insults can puncture a person's inner life. Real American also expresses, through Lythcott-Haims' path to self-acceptance, the healing power of community in overcoming the hurtful isolation of being incessantly considered "the other."Julie-Lythcott-Haims served as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University, where she received the Dinkelspiel Award for her contributions to the undergraduate experience. She holds a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard Law School, and an MFA in writing from California College of the Arts. She is a member of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto.The program will be introduced with a performance by Mohamed Tall. Mohamed Tall is Baltimore City's current Youth Grand Slam champion, former Baltimore City Poet Ambassador, as well as the 2 time Muslim Interscholastic Tournament spoken word champion. Mohamed has opened up for various entertainers such as Native Deen, the National Poet Laureate and Congressman Elijah Cummings. Writers Live programs are supported in part by The Miss Howard Hubbard Adult Programming Fund.
Real American by Julie Lythcott-Haims, bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, is a deeply personal account of her life growing up as a biracial black woman in America. The only child of an African American father and a white British mother, she shows how so-called "micro" aggressions in addition to blunt force insults can puncture a person's inner life. Real American also expresses, through Lythcott-Haims' path to self-acceptance, the healing power of community in overcoming the hurtful isolation of being incessantly considered "the other."Julie-Lythcott-Haims served as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University, where she received the Dinkelspiel Award for her contributions to the undergraduate experience. She holds a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard Law School, and an MFA in writing from California College of the Arts. She is a member of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto.The program will be introduced with a performance by Mohamed Tall. Mohamed Tall is Baltimore City's current Youth Grand Slam champion, former Baltimore City Poet Ambassador, as well as the 2 time Muslim Interscholastic Tournament spoken word champion. Mohamed has opened up for various entertainers such as Native Deen, the National Poet Laureate and Congressman Elijah Cummings. Writers Live programs are supported in part by The Miss Howard Hubbard Adult Programming Fund.Recorded On: Thursday, October 12, 2017
Having a successful African-American physician as a father and a white mother who read her the works of Black authors was no barrier against the racism Julie Lythcott-Haims faced growing up in white Wisconsin. In her new book, ----Real American: A Memoir----, she describes her journey to self-acceptance and insight about what it means to be Black in America.