Black women are speaking, for themselves and their families, and everyone is listening. This unique collection of stories is for readers of all colors, not just the Black community, as these contributors share their dreams, their triumphs and failures, and their lives, which have unique challenges and hardships that are not well understood by others. Readers of color will recognize their own struggles in these pages, and white readers will benefit from an inside view of Black life in America, Canada and beyond.
These 101 stories and 12 poems, written by and for Black women, cover it all—from fierce to funny—about hopes and dreams, fears and realities, identity and self-discovery, family, children, even hair. Each one starts with a quote connecting you to a wellspring of wisdom from historical and contemporary Black women.
“We are speaking now,” says Breena Clarke, coauthor of this book. “Because the moment is now, in this collection of first-person narratives. This is an opportunity to hear the often silenced voices of Black women, writing for you and because of you. These are stories of universal human experiences but also reflect the specificity of Black women’s lives in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.”
Everyone will benefit from this look into the culture, wisdom, and everyday reality of the Black experience, with 11 chapters, each starting with a powerful poem:
• The Shoulders We Stand On
• Where We Come From
• Everyday Struggles
• Stand Up, Speak Out
• Raising Our Children
• Family & Food for the Soul
• Taking Care of Me
• Sisters, Friends
• Loving Black Men
• Identity & Roots
• Self-Discovery
Chicken Soup for the Soul books are always very powerful, and this is no exception. I think a lot of us forget how recent desegregation is...it's only sixty years since Ruby Bridges walked into school, and there are plenty of stories here from earlier than that. This book shines a bright, very uncomfortable light on the horrific things many people went through and still go through every day.
I'm astounded by the strength and resilience and courage of the people in these stories. They should never have to display them like this, but they do and I'm amazed. It's incredible the things they bear up under.
Like with all collections, some stories are better than others, but none of them are less than fascinating. I'm so glad I was able to read it, and I hope it'll make me a better ally in the future.
I'm Speaking Now publishes on the 3rd of June, 2021. I received a free copy and am writing an honest review.
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