Layla Saad

Layla Saad
Born
Wales
EducationLancaster University (LL.B.)

Layla Saad is a British social-media figure and author. After starting an Instagram trend #MeAndWhiteSupremacy, she developed her work into the digital Me and White Supremacy Workbook. It was published in 2020 as the book Me and White Supremacy, which entered The New York Times Best Seller list.

Early life

Saad's mother was from Zanzibar, Tanzania, while her father was from Mombasa, Kenya. They both moved to Wales, where they met and where Saad was born and raised. She also lived in Tanzania and Swindon, United Kingdom, while growing up.[1] As a child, she was a fan of detective fiction.[2] The family moved to Qatar when Saad was aged 15.[1] Returning to the United Kingdom for university, Saad received a Bachelor of Law degree from Lancaster University.[3]

Career

In 2017, Saad wrote a blog post "I Need to Talk to Spiritual White Women About White Supremacy".[4] Well received by some, it also received a backlash from some white people.[5] In 2018, Saad started an Instagram challenge under the hashtag #MeAndWhiteSupremacy, which encouraged people to consider their relation to white supremacy for 28 days. It was popular among teachers.[6] Following this, she wrote the digital Me and White Supremacy Workbook, which was downloaded by 100,000 people over the course of six months, with public figures including Anne Hathaway, Elizabeth Gilbert, Robin DiAngelo and Glennon Doyle endorsing the book.[3][5]

In 2020, this work was developed into her first book, Me and White Supremacy.[3][5] The book reached number 10 on The New York Times Best Seller list on 16 February 2020, in the category Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction.[7] As of 2019, a young readers' edition to the book is planned.[5] The book received renewed attention following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests, with a surge in sales of books about race. The book reached number five on the New York Times' Hardcover Nonfiction list on 12 July 2020.[8] It was third on the Sunday Times Bestsellers list on 26 June 2020.[9] On the audiobook sales website Audible, the book was sixth in non-fiction sales for the week ending 5 June 2020.[10]

Saad hosts the Good Ancestor Podcast, interviewing people about "ancestors" in their family or in wider society who have influenced them.[5]

Personal life

Saad lives in Doha, Qatar. She is married and has two children, Maya and Mohamed.[3] Saad is a Muslim.[3]

Works

  • Saad, Layla (2020). Me and White Supremacy. Sourcebooks. ISBN 1529405084

References

  1. ^ a b Semaan, Céline (7 December 2018). "Layla Saad Started An Instagram Challenge To Dismantle White Supremacy. Now It's A Best-Selling Book". Elle. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. ^ "In Their Own Words: Layla Saad". American Writers Museum. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Me And White Supremacy". Me And White Supremacy. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  4. ^ Beaty, Zoe (25 May 2020). "Me & White Supremacy: How To Check Your White Privilege". Refinery29. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Doing the Work of Antiracism: Spotlight on Layla F. Saad". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  6. ^ Van Der Valk, Adrienne (2019). "You and White Supremacy: A Challenge to Educators". Tolerance. No. 62. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction – Best Sellers – Feb. 16, 2020 – The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  8. ^ Egan, Elisabeth (12 July 2020). "These Authors Are Glad You're Buying Their Books. Now Do the Work". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  9. ^ "The Sunday Times Bestsellers List 26th June 2020".
  10. ^ "Audible best-sellers for week ending June 5". Washington Post. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.

Further reading