Baldwin & Co Author Dialogues: Is the need to “humanize” a person rooted in racism? Viet Thanh Nguyen and Thi Bui discuss
In this wide-ranging conversation, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Thi Bui explore the role of writers and artists in confronting injustice, challenging dehumanization, and making sense of a world shaped by war, displacement, prisons, and political violence. Reflecting on refugees, incarceration, identity, anger, privilege, and the limits of art, they argue that the problem is not the humanity of marginalized people but the systems and perspectives that deny it. The discussion moves from personal experiences and childhood trauma to activism, community, and the responsibility of storytelling, ultimately arriving at a shared belief that while art may not change the world overnight, it can connect people, challenge assumptions, preserve hope, and help readers feel less alone.