The author's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when her parents told her they named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. She grew up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, and has spent her life navigating America's racial divide as a writer, a speaker, and an expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion. While so many institutions claim to value diversity in their mission statements, many fall short of matching actions to words. Brown highlights how white middle-class evangelicalism has participated in the rise of racial hostility, and encourages the reader to confront apathy and recognize God's ongoing work in the world.

White people are exhausting -- Playing spades -- The other side of harmony -- Ain't no friends here -- Whiteness at work -- Interlude: Why I love being a black girl -- White fragility -- Nice white people -- The story we tell -- Creative anger -- Interlude: How to survive racism in an organization that claims to be antiracist -- The ritual of fear -- A God for the accused -- We're still here -- Interlude: A letter to my son -- Justice, then reconciliation -- Standing in the shadow of hope.