Star of MTV’s Decoded
and veteran video blogger Franchesca Ramsey explores race, identity,
online activism, and the downfall of real communication in the age of
Twitter rants and call-out wars, in a collection of funny and timely
essays.
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 with 12 million views. 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 if we just approach them in the right way.