Author and grant consultant Amy Thornton Shankland has announced the release of her compassionate new book, Interviews by a Clueless White Woman, published by Warren Publishing.
Shankland
The Sheridan Readers will welcome Shankland at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19 to the Sheridan Public Library, 103 W. 1st St.
Shankland grew up in a “typical middle-class” white household in Northern Indiana and came to realize that civil, women’s, and social rights movements didn’t solve as many problems as she was taught to believe.
Coming to terms with what she calls her own ignorance of the systemic inequalities that are far too prevalent in the world today, Shankland set out to learn from those whose “otherness” often sets them apart in society. This collection of 16 candid interviews demonstrates what we can all learn from each other if we set our differences aside to listen, learn, and grow.
After many conversations with friends and colleagues, Shankland said she was left feeling frustrated because she just felt “like a dumb white girl,” she explained. In the midst of the George Floyd tragedy and the overwhelming inequities brought to light at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a friend helped Shankland realize she wasn’t dumb, just “clueless,” and needed to learn more by listening and learning in order to understand the needs of others.
Graphic provided by Warren Publishing
“We’re not talking to one another anymore,” Shankland said. “There’s too much Black vs. White, Red vs. Blue … etc. I want to encourage people to just start understanding one another better.”
Interviews by a Clueless White Woman highlights 21 people who have experienced and continue to experience turmoil because they have “otherness”; perhaps they are people of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community, maybe they have physical, mental or emotional disabilities, or perhaps they practice a religion other than Christianity. In the book Shankland shares her candid discussions with these individuals; their voices and stories shine through – and hopefully educate along the way.
Throughout her research, when Shankland asked her interviewees what the first step toward understanding was, she heard over and over “Just talk to me.” Most people were open to talking about their cultures, what they deal with on a daily basis, their religion, their disabilities, etc. Shankland said she hopes that sharing these interviews will help increase understanding and unite us in our humanity.
“I learned so much from writing this book,” Shankland said. “The biggest thing I need to do now is to keep on learning. My eyes are open and I look forward to correcting my mistakes and doing better as I live the rest of my life.”
Shankland says she also hopes these interviews will open the door for more discussions because even though she’s learned a lot, she recognizes that there is still much more to learn. She wants readers to walk away asking “How can I do better?”
Interviews by a Clueless White Woman can be ordered on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, warrenpublishing.net, and asked for wherever books are sold.
About Amy Thornton Shankland
Amy Thornton Shankland is a grant consultant and has been writing stories ever since she received a typewriter when she was eight years old. She is a columnist for the Hamilton County Reporter, former freelance writer for Indy’s Child, and the former editor of her church’s bulletin. She has given local, regional, and national workshops on various writing topics thanks to her 20-plus years as a grant professional. Shankland lives in Noblesville with her husband, two sons, three dogs, and two cats. Visit Shankland online at authoramythornton.wordpress.com, on social media @authoramythornton, and read her Reporter columns at ReadTheReporter.com.