First published 2021
This collection brings together the voices of Black women from across North America as they tell their own stories. The 101 personal narratives and 12 poems span the full spectrum of experience, from childhood memories to adult challenges, from family traditions to individual dreams. Contributors write about raising children, caring for aging parents, finding love, building careers, and discovering their own strength. They explore questions of identity and belonging, moments of joy and periods of hardship. The stories reveal both universal human experiences and the specific realities of Black women's lives in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Each piece begins with wisdom from historical and contemporary Black women, connecting personal experience to a larger legacy. Organized into eleven thematic chapters, the collection covers everything from ancestral heritage to self-discovery, from sisterhood to romance. These first-person accounts offer readers an intimate look into Black women's daily lives, their hopes and fears, their victories and setbacks, creating a portrait of resilience and authenticity.
Genres: african-american, contemporary, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-narrative
Setting: North America, United States, Canada, Caribbean
Period: 21st-century
400 pages · Paperback · Chicken Soup for the Soul