YES, if my only two choices in a conversation about black experiences were Candace Owens and some white dude who read a few books, I think Candace, a black woman, would have more to say.

I think you need to check your friend and ask them why they jumped to her and not another capable black person already speaking about race in a productive way.

Why would he force me into the dichotomy of choosing between someone who has never had a productive conversation about race and white man?

Honestly all of this conversation sounds like you dancing for white approval. If that's the life you wanna lead, you are entirely encouraged to doing so. I hope that helps you out in the long run and feeds you. I should get back to work.