How does Brown’s parents’ decision to name her “Austin” serve as a double-edged sword for Brown? How does having a name that people associate with White men help Brown? How does it hurt her? What do people’s reactions to her name say about racist assumptions in personal and professional settings?

How does the illusion of racial harmony exacerbate racist biases? How do these biases come to the forefront in Brown’s academic, professional, and personal lives?

How does Ms. Phillips’ public acknowledgement of her own racism play into the book’s broader themes about how Whiteness centers itself, even in putative efforts to correct racial injustice? Why does her admission make Brown so uncomfortable?