In this sharp, funny, and timely collection of personal essays, veteran video blogger and star of MTV's
Decoded Franchesca Ramsey explores race, identity, online
activism, and the downfall of real communication in the age of social
media rants, trolls, and call-out wars.
Franchesca Ramsey didn't set out to be an activist. Or a comedian. Or a
commentator on identity, race, and culture, really. But then her YouTube
video "What White Girls Say . . . to Black Girls" went viral. Twelve
million views viral. Faced with an avalanche
of media requests, fan letters, and hate mail, she had two choices:
Jump in and make her voice heard or step back and let others frame the
conversation. After a crash course in social justice and more than a few
foot-in-mouth moments, she realized she had
a unique talent and passion for breaking down injustice in America in
ways that could make people listen and engage.
In her first book, Ramsey uses her own experiences as an accidental
activist to explore the many ways we communicate with each other--from
the highs of bridging gaps and making connections to the many pitfalls
that accompany talking about race, power, sexuality,
and gender in an unpredictable public space...the internet.
WELL, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY includes Ramsey's advice on dealing with
internet trolls and low-key racists, confessions about being a former
online hater herself, and her personal hits and misses in activist
debates with everyone from bigoted Facebook friends
and misguided relatives to mainstream celebrities and YouTube
influencers. With sharp humor and her trademark candor, Ramsey shows
readers we can have tough conversations that move the dialogue forward,
rather than backward, if we just approach them in the
right way.