Renée Watson, This Side of Home (2017)
Content warning:
Gun violence, hate speech, substance abuse
Synopsis
This Side of Home is a coming-of-age young adult novel that deals with themes of gentrification, representation, adolescent challenges, and racial dynamics during a cultural shift in a historically black neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. The novel follows the course of a school year beginning in the summer before the main characters’ senior year of high school and ends as they graduate and begin their young adult lives. The novel's narrator, Maya, finds herself dealing with conflicting feelings about her changing neighborhood. She has watched her community become less and less identifiable, no longer resembling what it was during her childhood. She struggles to navigate the dynamics of the displacement of her friend's family due to the landlord's decision to sell their house, while also facing challenges with her own self-identity as a young woman of color. Tensions rise as her twin sister Nikki seems to be unfazed and accepting of the changes, not seeing things the same way Maya does. The obstacles of being a good friend, sister, daughter, student, and girlfriend push Maya to reconsider the plan she’s always had laid out for her future.
Essay
I selected this story to be a part of this guide because of its contemporary narrative and commentary on racism, representation, and Black identity in a predominantly white state. This novel feels local with all its references to well-known areas in the community, local chain companies, and common experiences that are nostalgic for those of us who grew up in the Portland metro area during this time. Each section of the book is separated by the seasons and contains some of Watson's poetic prose. The background of Oregon's famous weather adds to its distinctly Pacific Northwest vibe. This is one of those stories that feels so deeply connected to its setting. While its themes are arguably applicable to multiple major cities in the U.S. where current gentrification and a history of redlining have occurred, This Side of Home makes specific calls to action in the Portland area. This book teaches its readers so much history in a way that feels realistic and authentic.
Oregon is thought to be a Democratic safe haven, filled with progressive social activists and strong, supportive communities. While this is true in some areas, there is still a racist history that haunts our state, and much work to be done when it comes to equal representation of minorities, specifically for Black and Indigenous Oregonians. Portland has a history of redlining, which forced Black populations to be condensed to certain areas of the state, resulting in them being neglected and denied the same resources and opportunities that were attainable for white people. Throughout the book, Maya calls attention to the double standards that Black people face when living in this area, the microaggressions from fellow students and community members, and how public perceptions can harm community identity. I especially like the focus on youth and young people coming into their own through education, community, and activism that Watson centers in this story.
Watson also shows what the current effects of this history have on Black Oregonians and shows how deeply connected culture is to place in this novel. She also tells a story that has been traditionally excluded from the Oregon literary canon, which centers two young girls of color and their very real interactions and reactions to the changing landscape. In the media, more so now than ever, Portland has gotten slammed with catchy headlines about its violence, homelessness, and drug abuse. The city has been subject to media campaigns with clear political motives. Watson touches on this in This Side of Home by creating a main storyline of how local media targets Maya and Nikki’s high school, specifically only reporting on negative situations that perpetuate a false narrative about the school and its students. It’s also interesting how Maya is able to apply what she learns in her journalism class to the current changes happening in her community. Maya herself wants to attend an HBCU for Journalism and continue challenging these false perceptions and show a very real perspective on both past and present sociocultural issues in Portland's historically Black neighborhoods.
Author Bio
Renée Watson is an author from Portland, Oregon. Her background in education and activism has informed her young adult novels.
She has received many awards for her young adult and children's literature publications, such as the John Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Honor, Walter Dean Myers Award, and Amazon Best Book of the Year. She currently serves as a member of the Education Advisory Council for the Academy of American Poets. A significant aspect of her career includes intertwining her love for writing with her love for giving back to her community, both in Portland and all across the world. Watson takes it upon herself to be a voice of inclusivity, creating children's literature that prioritizes intersectionality and representation for young Black and brown girls.
Beyond Oregon, she has conducted poetry workshops in New Orleans. She has also launched two projects, the Renée Watson Cottage and i, too arts collective, advocating for classic Black poets and writers. The Cottage is in Pennsylvania, and the i, too, commemorates Langston Hughes in Harlem.
Written by Ian and Kylie
Further Reading
Bethany C. Morrow, A Song Below Water (2020)
- A young adult fantasy novel also set in Portland
Renée Watson, Love is a Revolution (2021)
- A young adult novel that follows the trials of young love and self-discovery.
Renée Watson, Some Places More Than Others (2019)
- A young adult novel that deals with themes of how place shapes identity and the value of connecting with your family and cultural history.