Justin Simien > Quotes

“The idea of “post-racism,” just like that of “reverse racism,” is really just a coded way of denying the existence of actual racism. And denying the existence of actual racism is really just another form of (you guessed it) racism.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“Black folks are often individually regarded as the authority on every facet of black culture and the people who create it, but it’s exhausting for most black people to constantly be relied upon as the go-to official spokesnegro.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“Calling out the supposed ‘abuse’ of welfare by blacks and other people of color is a time-honored tactic for distracting the general public from actual national issue. It also taps into latent, subconscious racism, which is what right-wing politicians would call a ‘win-win.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People

“Unfortunately, 'post racism' is also a myth, like unicorns and black people who survive to the end of a horror movie.”
― Justin Simien

“The pressure to be quintessentially black in every moment, whether it comes from the outside world or is self-imposed, keeps black people from being our authentic selves.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“I know some of you must be thinking, This is a preposterous and thinly veiled attempt to obscure the use of relaxers, weaves, and lace fronts. Trust me on this one: Unless she tells you otherwise herself, every black woman’s hair, though it may change dramatically from day to day in ways that defy nature, is absolutely her God-given, though possibly magically altered, hair. White people: Do not broach this topic. It doesn’t matter that you’ve seen the Chris Rock documentary Good Hair. Like your favorite movie Frozen suggests, “Let It Go.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“consciousness evolve with questions natural selection never designed to answer, making truth just beyond man's Darwinian limits”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People

“Despite this book, white people will still be able to enjoy Vespa scooters without comment and properly conjugate words without anyone being surprised.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“Prince is your spirit animal? Fantastic.”
― Justin Simien, Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America

“I’m a writer/director, my movie is a hit at Sundance, I have a wonderful loving boyfriend, and wow, I have financial stability. Why can’t I get out of bed still? It made it even worse, because there’s nothing else I want. This is what I’m born to do. I’m living my purpose, I’m paying my rent, what’s missing?”
― Justin Simien