All You Have to Do follows two young Black men living about thirty years apart. Kevin is protesting at Columbia University days after the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, fighting the racist policies of the university. Gibran is attending a predominantly white prep school in 1995 at the time of the Million Man March and is frustrated with the racist attitudes of some fellow students and the lack of support from the school's administration.
We see how each young man grows as he attempts to succeed at his academic institution while navigating systemic white supremacy and discovering connections between class, race and gender. Neither man chooses to keep his head down and stay under the radar, as he is often advised to do. This book is eye opening as it shows us how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same. Gibran's story could be set in the present day, were it not for the absence of the internet or cell phones.
The characters are well written and real. The story and settings are powerful and thought provoking. As the story progresses, the reader discovers an important connection between Kevin and Gibran. All You Have to Do is compelling, intense historical fiction.
We see how each young man grows as he attempts to succeed at his academic institution while navigating systemic white supremacy and discovering connections between class, race and gender. Neither man chooses to keep his head down and stay under the radar, as he is often advised to do. This book is eye opening as it shows us how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same. Gibran's story could be set in the present day, were it not for the absence of the internet or cell phones.
The characters are well written and real. The story and settings are powerful and thought provoking. As the story progresses, the reader discovers an important connection between Kevin and Gibran. All You Have to Do is compelling, intense historical fiction.