Member-only story
Rebecca Carroll Has a Lot to Say About Race in America
The author of ‘Surviving the White Gaze’ takes on boundaries, artistic evolution, and more in her new book
For many years, Rebecca Carroll riveted us with her work as a cultural critic at WNYC and host of the podcast Come Through, which covers a series of conversations about race in America. Her essays, profiles, and cultural takes have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and many more. Now, it may not be her first book, but as her first memoir, Surviving the White Gaze unearths Carroll’s journey as a Black woman forging her identity in a White family, school, and neighborhood.
Carroll grew up in a small New Hampshire town, living what many would call an unconventional life where her parents leaned into artistic freedoms. She began writing as a child and has been telling stories ever since.
In Surviving the White Gaze, Carroll writes about her experience growing up with White parents in a color-blind environment while she struggles to maintain a tumultuous relationship with her birth mother. Her words illuminate a complex family dynamic and bring awareness to some of the challenges that transracial adoptees may face. This is a coming-of-age story that many will love and find comfort in, as Carroll learns to…
