BOOK REVIEW:
PASSIN BY ESSENCE
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
KAREN E QUINONES-MILLER
When light is all right but white is
even better
PASSIN BY ESSENCE
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
KAREN E QUINONES-MILLER
When light is all right but white is
even better
(April 08) If you were light as Snow White but black as Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, would you
deny your heritage to get your dream job?
This question plagued Shanika Jenkins, the protagonist in Passin, the latest literary masterpiece
from Essence Best Selling Author Karen E Quinones Miller.
In Passin, Quinones-Miller tackles the old age controversy of light-skin Blacks attempting to go
through life, or pass as White.
deny your heritage to get your dream job?
This question plagued Shanika Jenkins, the protagonist in Passin, the latest literary masterpiece
from Essence Best Selling Author Karen E Quinones Miller.
In Passin, Quinones-Miller tackles the old age controversy of light-skin Blacks attempting to go
through life, or pass as White.
Shanika Jenkins is very African American but is commonly mistaken for White because of her
very fair skin, blond hair and green eyes. Desperate to escape the small-town life, Shanika
Jenkins gets an opportunity to interview for an internship at a highly esteemed public relations
firm. After arriving in the big city of NY, she begins to notice the cultural differences and how she
is treated as a Woman instead of like the Black woman she is.
Once returning home, she is hit with the news that she was not given an internship because she
did not appear black enough and that it would be a slap in the face to Affirmative Action. She is
then encouraged by one of the higher ups of the PR firm that she should reapply as a White
woman. Alas, Shanika Jenkins is reborn as Nicole Jensen, a white woman and the newest
employee at the Paxon & Green PR.
Throughout the course of her newfound life, Shanika, I mean, Nicole, has to experience and
endure her family’s disapproval of her obvious deceit, interracial loving, self acceptance and
much more.
When asked who would reprise the role of Shanika Jenkins/Nicole Jensen, Miller quickly
responded that she clearly pictured multi-platinum recording artist Alicia Keys.
Miller describes in intricate detail every movement made and every emotion felt by each
character and therefore, makes Passin an excellent read and page turner.
Passin by Karen E Quinones-Miller is available now in bookstores and online.
very fair skin, blond hair and green eyes. Desperate to escape the small-town life, Shanika
Jenkins gets an opportunity to interview for an internship at a highly esteemed public relations
firm. After arriving in the big city of NY, she begins to notice the cultural differences and how she
is treated as a Woman instead of like the Black woman she is.
Once returning home, she is hit with the news that she was not given an internship because she
did not appear black enough and that it would be a slap in the face to Affirmative Action. She is
then encouraged by one of the higher ups of the PR firm that she should reapply as a White
woman. Alas, Shanika Jenkins is reborn as Nicole Jensen, a white woman and the newest
employee at the Paxon & Green PR.
Throughout the course of her newfound life, Shanika, I mean, Nicole, has to experience and
endure her family’s disapproval of her obvious deceit, interracial loving, self acceptance and
much more.
When asked who would reprise the role of Shanika Jenkins/Nicole Jensen, Miller quickly
responded that she clearly pictured multi-platinum recording artist Alicia Keys.
Miller describes in intricate detail every movement made and every emotion felt by each
character and therefore, makes Passin an excellent read and page turner.
Passin by Karen E Quinones-Miller is available now in bookstores and online.
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