HABIBA DIALLO
AUTHOR. SPEAKER. END FISTULA ADVOCATE.
#BLACKINSCHOOL
AWARDS
Short-listed, Creative Saskatchewan Publishing Award 2022
Short-listed, SaskBooks Publishing in Education Award 2022
REVIEWS
“Habiba Diallo is a brilliant writer and journalist. Through #BlackInSchool, she fearlessly asserts the humanity which systemic racism seeks to destroy. Her first-hand account of anti-Black racism in high school is a powerful and provocative act of resistance. Habiba is a writer to watch and #BlackInSchool is a book that should be on the curriculum in every high school in the country, every university for that matter!” —Shelagh Rogers, Canadian broadcast journalist and founding host/co-producer of CBC Radio One's The Next Chapter
“A critical perspective on anti-black racism in the education system from the people we need to hear from most on this matter—Black students.” —Jael Richardson
“Diallo’s voice is fully realized, and it is the voice we need right now." —Quill & Quire
DESCRIPTION
#BlackInSchool is Habiba Cooper Diallo’s high school journal, in which she documents, processes, and resists the systemic racism, microaggressions, stereotypes, and outright racism she experienced in Canada’s education system. Her words will resonate with some, but should shock, appall, and animate a great many more into action towards a society that is truly equitable for all.
Powerful and eye-opening, Cooper Diallo illustrates how our schools reinforce rather than erode racism: the handcuffing and frisking of students of colour by police at school; one-dimensional, tokenistic curricula portraying Black people; and the constant barrage of overt racism from students and staff alike. She shows how systemic racism works, how it alienates and seeks to destroys a child’s sense of self. She shows how our institutions work to erase the lived experiences of Black youth and try to erase Black youth themselves.
Cooper Diallo’s words will resonate with some, but should shock, appall, and animate a great many more into action towards a society that is truly equitable for all.
Get the Study Guide
Selected chapter questions to help teachers lead their students in meaningful discussions around the book, #BlackInSchool by Habiba Diallo. This is a great resource that allows educators to contextualize the content of the book and incorporate these discussion questions into lesson plans.