The Introduction sketches out the myriad ways in which race has inflected Oluo’s life experiences. She discusses the negative aspects of being Black in the United States, such as being followed in stores, the wage gap, and microaggressions in the workplace—notably, being told she was “too ‘loud’” and that her hair was “too ‘ethnic.’” Conversely, she presents race as a positive facet of her identity. Jazz, rap, and R&B music, the creative output of Black artists, and the accomplishments of Black activists are sources of pride and inspiration.

Oluo recalls working harder than her White colleagues, being overly polite, and laughing off racist jokes. As she grew older and more successful, however, brushing off racism became increasingly difficult. She began pushing back against the status quo and demanding more of those around her by transforming her popular food blog into a forum to discuss race. Her following grew alongside the widespread dissemination of videos of police brutality against people of color. These increasingly common videos fueled discussions about racism within the Black community and alerted White people to racial injustice, often for the first time. The Introduction ends with a clear statement of intent: Oluo aims to facilitate painful and uncomfortable conversations about race, racism, and racial oppression in American society.