1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE 2020 TORONTO BOOK AWARD WINNER OF THE OLA EVERGREEN AWARD FINALIST FOR THE WRITERS’ TRUST SHAUGNESSY COHEN PRIZE FINALIST FOR THE RAKUTEN KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE

*UPDATED with new foreword, postscript, and educator’s guide*

In this bracing, revelatory work of award-winning journalism, celebrated writer and activist Desmond Cole punctures the naive assumptions of Canadians who believe we live in a post-racial nation.

Chronicling just one year in the struggle against racism in this country, The Skin We’re In reveals in stark detail the injustices faced by Black Canadians on a daily basis- the devastating effects of racist policing, the hopelessness produced by an education system that fails Black children, the heartbreak of those separated from their families by discriminatory immigration laws, and more. Cole draws on his own experiences as a Black man in Canada, and locates the deep cultural, historical, and political roots of each event. What emerges is a personal, painful, and comprehensive picture of entrenched, systemic inequality.

Updated with a new foreword, postscript, and an extensive educator’s guide, The Skin We’re In is essential reading for all Canadians, and a vital tool in the fight against racism.