Sure, I’ll Be Your Black Friend is a hilarious memoir by Ben Philippe. The book is structured as a collection of coming-of-age essays, documenting the author’s life in three different countries.

Ben Philippe was born in Haiti, raised in Canada, and is currently living in New York. He starts the book by introducing himself as the reader’s Black friend. As your new friend, Ben is here to help you navigate your relationship with a Black person. He imparts his wisdom on what not to say to your Black friend, hilariously backing them with the reasons why and how might your Black friend react if you do. He guides you on how to be a better friend to a Black person in today’s world.

Ben goes on to give the readers a deeper understanding of his journey as a Black immigrant, both in Canada and the United States. He talks about his relationship with his parents and how it helped shape him. His experience of growing up as the only (or one of the few) Black kids in his school. He recounts his dating and relationship experiences. Tackling both light and heavy topics, Ben highlights issues facing American society today, such as rising violence on the Black community.

How did it make me feel?

I love how this book is light-hearted and has so many laugh-out-loud moments, yet so compelling. Ben’s writing is absolutely delightful which makes it a quick and enjoyable read. He takes us through some profoundly vulnerable moments but does so with such witty writing that it leaves a deep impact upon the reader’s mind.

Sure, I’ll Be Your Black Friend is a timely and important read and I highly recommend it.

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