Emmanuel Acho on guiding the younger generation with “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy”
Posted on: May 20, 2021Posted by: Johnny Ross
Emmanuel Acho wrote the book “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” with a particular focus on having an impact by opening up a dialogue with young readers on systemic racism. The youngest generation, unfortunately, will experience some of the same bigotry as their parents and ancestors so it is important to have “the talk.” In order to properly prepare the next generation of Black children for the real world, they must understand the additional trials and hardships faced by Black people daily. In order to accomplish this, Emmanuel Acho wants the younger generation to feel comfortable asking the difficult questions and taking in the reality of the answers.
Emmanuel Acho navigates this by using stories from his own life and showing how they intersect and interact with systemic racism. His stories of him in the NFL and of him attending a mostly white prep school before that are used throughout to illustrate common challenges that Black people face. This way real situations and experiences can be used to make systemic racism easier to comprehend for a younger audience than in his first book, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.” He hopes that this can be passed down from generation to generation, that way it can create real change.
Emmanuel Acho’s Background
Emmanuel Acho is a Nigerian-American, a former NFL player, sports analyst, and host of a webcast called “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” which later became the title of his book released in 2020. Acho was born to two Nigerian parents in Dallas, Texas and has three siblings. He was raised by parents who believed strongly in doing medical missionary work in Africa, something he is still involved in to this day. He once tweeted “Everybody wants to be the #BlackPanther until it is time to actually save lives in Africa.” Living Hope Christian Ministries, a non-profit run by him and his family, raised enough funds to build a hospital in rural Nigeria. During his NFL career, he used his off-seasons to earn his masters degree in Sports Psychology. In the NFL, he was drafted in the sixth round by the Cleveland Browns and spent time with the Eagles and Giants as well. He is now currently the co-host of “SPEAK FOR YOURSELF” on FS1.
The Book’s Goal
The goal of the book is to educate the younger audiences on systemic racism in a way that they can easily digest. This is in contrast to his first book, with a similar title, that was aimed at an older audience. The truth is younger generations need to know what they’re up against, how to have honest conversations about systemic racism, and how to ask the most difficult questions. He hopes that the lessons from his own life can be taken in by young readers who can use it to understand systemic racism and how it impacts their own life and how it’s present in their community. Another goal: to serve as a guide for white and other non-Black parents who may not be able to find the words to explain systemic racism to their children.
“Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” is available on Amazon, Apple books and many other e-retailers.
https://theblackmaleimg.com/2021/05/20/emmanuel-acho-and-uncomfortable-conversations-with-a-black-boy/
Posted on: May 20, 2021Posted by: Johnny Ross
Emmanuel Acho wrote the book “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” with a particular focus on having an impact by opening up a dialogue with young readers on systemic racism. The youngest generation, unfortunately, will experience some of the same bigotry as their parents and ancestors so it is important to have “the talk.” In order to properly prepare the next generation of Black children for the real world, they must understand the additional trials and hardships faced by Black people daily. In order to accomplish this, Emmanuel Acho wants the younger generation to feel comfortable asking the difficult questions and taking in the reality of the answers.
Emmanuel Acho navigates this by using stories from his own life and showing how they intersect and interact with systemic racism. His stories of him in the NFL and of him attending a mostly white prep school before that are used throughout to illustrate common challenges that Black people face. This way real situations and experiences can be used to make systemic racism easier to comprehend for a younger audience than in his first book, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.” He hopes that this can be passed down from generation to generation, that way it can create real change.
Emmanuel Acho’s Background
Emmanuel Acho is a Nigerian-American, a former NFL player, sports analyst, and host of a webcast called “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” which later became the title of his book released in 2020. Acho was born to two Nigerian parents in Dallas, Texas and has three siblings. He was raised by parents who believed strongly in doing medical missionary work in Africa, something he is still involved in to this day. He once tweeted “Everybody wants to be the #BlackPanther until it is time to actually save lives in Africa.” Living Hope Christian Ministries, a non-profit run by him and his family, raised enough funds to build a hospital in rural Nigeria. During his NFL career, he used his off-seasons to earn his masters degree in Sports Psychology. In the NFL, he was drafted in the sixth round by the Cleveland Browns and spent time with the Eagles and Giants as well. He is now currently the co-host of “SPEAK FOR YOURSELF” on FS1.
The Book’s Goal
The goal of the book is to educate the younger audiences on systemic racism in a way that they can easily digest. This is in contrast to his first book, with a similar title, that was aimed at an older audience. The truth is younger generations need to know what they’re up against, how to have honest conversations about systemic racism, and how to ask the most difficult questions. He hopes that the lessons from his own life can be taken in by young readers who can use it to understand systemic racism and how it impacts their own life and how it’s present in their community. Another goal: to serve as a guide for white and other non-Black parents who may not be able to find the words to explain systemic racism to their children.
“Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” is available on Amazon, Apple books and many other e-retailers.
https://theblackmaleimg.com/2021/05/20/emmanuel-acho-and-uncomfortable-conversations-with-a-black-boy/