Memoirs and autobiographies are quickly becoming one of my favorite genres. I love being able to see into these women's incredible lives and I'm grateful that they chose to share their stories. Here are some amazing and inspiring quotes from 4 great memoirs/autobiographies to motivate you this week
"I will claim myself for myself."
"I
told a student today: You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Praise
yourself as much as you fuss at yourself.' And I could have been talking
to myself. And I was. And I will."
"I'm just really into walking in my purpose and saying yes to life right now. Ya know?"
"Change was in the air like a cloud and it was finally raining on me."
"Don't let anyone else take away your joy. If they don't want to be with you or around you, let them go. Pick up your shit and keep going. You came into the world by yourself, and the next person's lungs don't help you breathe."
“Love heals. Heals and liberates. I use the word love, not
meaning sentimentality, but a condition so strong that it may be that
which holds the stars in their heavenly positions, which causes
the blood to flow orderly in our veins.”
“Don't do anything that you think is wrong. Do what you think is
right, and then be ready to back it up even with your life.”
"Read everything. The more knowledge you have, the less a man can use you for poppy-show"
"I
go from place to place spouting the gospel of courage and survival. I
encourage victims to take hold of destiny and chart it for themselves."
In honor of Women's History Month, I would like to highlight these wonderful poets whose words truly keep me afloat by speaking to my soul. I've been so thankful for this poets and their work over the past year or so. I turn to their words to relieve stress, to find comfort, to cry, to laugh, to affirm myself, and to heal. I cherish these poets and these collections so much because they so beautifully articulate feelings of heartbreak and pain, childhood, our connections to our ancestors, relationships with ourselves and with others, and so much more. I've carried these books of poetry and prose and shared them to help others heal and be inspired as well.
Here are some beautiful words from these talented artists to help you get through this week. May they speak to you and guide you through anything you may be going through. Enjoy!
Imani All Mine by Connie Rose Porter has been one of my absolute favorite books since I first read it in the seventh grade. I loved and still love reading stories about black girls that feel authentic--stories that felt like they were about people I see in my own life. I had already loved reading and was always getting lost in books long before I read this book but this book holds a very special place in my heart because it took me on an emotional roller coaster. I'm a very emotional person. I feel emotions very intensely and this wonderful piece of literature had me sobbing uncontrollably in my room the morning I finished it when I was supposed to be getting ready for school. I had no idea that books could have that power over me. I fell in love.
I personally think it's a must read. Imani All Mine is a honest and real story that anyone can find themselves in. Imani All Mine tells the story of Tasha, a fourteen-year-old single mother. Throughout this book we see the various impacts of race, stigma, trauma, poverty, and faith on Tasha's life. I was excited to read this book again as a part of The Free Black Women's Library's 2017 Reading Challenge, a book from your childhood. I was really excited to read this book again as an adult and compare the experiences.
Reading it as an adult, what I find the most interesting about this book is Tasha's relationship with religion and Christianity. We're able to see what, I feel, is a very honest relationship with God. One that relies on faith and blessings but also openly questions how this religion can work in a world where horrible things happen to innocent people and where horrible people can be forgiven for the awful things that they have done. This is a challenge for a lot of people trying to maintain their faith when going through difficult times.
"God is a mystery to me."
Another really important part is the description of the way that memories of trauma not only live in our minds but throughout our entire bodies as well. When incredibly stressful or traumatizing events happen to people the impact that they have on their bodies can last for a long time after the initial event happens. In Tasha's world it would be expected to get over things quickly and move on with life but the body remembers.
"The places where there is memory in you. Underneath your tongue. The middle of your bones. The lonesome spaces deep inside."
I loved reading this book again! It definitely took me back to the seventh grade and I discovering some themes I didn't notice when I was 12. I was definitely moved to tears and uncontrollable sobbing again. I'm still so in love with this book. If you have not read this book yet, you definitely should.
I started my year of reading The
Sisters Are Alright by Tamara Winfrey Harris and I’m so glad that I did! Reading
The Sisters Are Alright so wonderfully reminded me of the black girl magic
within me. It truly is a wonderful read. It’s fun and east to read and it
covers so many different important aspects of black womanhood. What’s wrong
with black women? Not a damned thing! It’s so empowering to feel the love for
black women flow through the pages. Black womanhood is complex and special. It
would be impossible to fit all of that magic into one book but this is a great
place to start.
“I love
black women, and I want the world to love black women too.”
On of my favorite components of the book are the "moments in alright" that highlight some of the amazing work that black women are doing in this world. Here's a really important one that actually helped me find a great resource for a paper and a group therapy that I designed. This moment also further affirms me on a path of becoming a black therapist.
Moments in Alright:
"Believing that sexuality educators, therapists, counselors, and doctors must have more representation by women of color, the Women of Color Sexual Health Network is devoted to empowering and including more women of color, including black women, in he field of sexuality, sexology, and sexual health."
This book wonderfully covers so many important topics including the stereotypes we face as black women, the strong woman narrative, motherhood, respect, relationships, health, and so much more. It leaves you with a desire to continue to learn more about black women. This book was the beginning of a year of reading amazing works by and about black women. I made a short list of nonfiction and fiction works that would be great to read after reading this wonderful book that gives you so much to think about.
Further and Recommended Reading:
Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide
When the Rainbow is Enuf
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in
School by Monique M. Morris.
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie
Assata: An Autobiography
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
---
A Few More Quotes I Loved:
"Why am I going to fight what I am? I am made to be a beautiful woman on my own terms, why not just embrace that and be that? Am I going to hate myself forever...or am I going to be free?"
"I do have a right to be treated with respect--to demand respect. I wasn't wrong for doing that. We are never wrong for doing that."
I really enjoyed this book! Jacqueline Woodson tells her childhood stories through free verse. It's so motivating and so inspirational. From the very beginning, brown girl dreaming perfectly captures the complicated beauty and strength and complexity of familial ties and the stories that come along with them. My absolute favorite part of reading this was feeling the determination of this young girl. This was a true reminder that we can achieve our childhood dreams. We all have the ability to follow our dreams to the best of our abilities despite our age, despite any family objections, and despite any perceived unlikeliness, our dreams are worth chasing.
I also love that these childhood experiences and these stories are filled with so much perspective. I think that we all have our own way of viewing the world because we're all shaped by our own personal stories and experiences but there are similarities that bring us together and help us relate with complete strangers. Even though I wasn't a young girl growing up in Greenville, South Carolina in 1963 or in Bushwick in 1969, these stories still resonate with me.
Just like in life, there are moments throughout her childhood that make us think our personal experiences and relationships with family, love, doubt, friendships, music, community/neighborhoods, birth, death, and so much more. It really was a great read.
Recommended for
all brown girls ready to chase a dream
all readers, especially middle schoolers
anyone looking for stories about moving
City girls
Southern girls
people who love to write
People who believe in themselves, are learning to believe in themselves, want to learn how to believe in themselves.
Anyone who is a big fan of reading stories about people living through history/historical moments
anyone who has ever thought that they were a little different but believed in themselves anyway
____ Favorite Parts & Quotes
"You'll face in your life someday, my mother will tell us over and over again. A moment when you walk into a room and no one there is like you."
"Even the silence has a story to tell you. Just listen. Listen."
"The revolution is always going to be happening. I want to write this down, that the revolution is like a merry go round, history is always being made somewhere. And maybe for a short time, we're apart of that history. And then the ride stops and our turn is over[...] My name is Jacqueline Woodson and I am ready for the ride."
"I believe in one day and someday and this perfect moment called Now."
"When there are many worlds, love can wrap itself around you, say, Don't cry. Say, You are as good as anyone Say, Keep remembering me. And you know, even as the world explodes around you--that you are loved..."
-Jacqueline Woodson
Thank you, Jacqueline Woodson, for your beautiful words!
Summer brings a lot time for people to spend together and a few occasional lazy days when all you want to do is relax. My favorite ways to relax alone or with others is reading, binge watching tv shows, and watching my favorite movies. These are some of my favorite movies that are perfect for summer days or nights.
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Our Song
Our Song is a great coming of age film about 3 girls and their summer together. I first saw this It's actually one of my favorite movies. It's a great summer movie because it takes place during the summer. It's about young girls of color living in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It's about friendships, relationships, growing up, living in an urban environment, and some of the issues that come with growing up with no money like healthcare issues and the struggles of the school system. The story just comes across so honest and real. It's a really good film!
One of the books I read last summer, On the Come Up, is based on the life of Anna Simpson who is one of the stars in the film. A great movie and a great book!
Real Women Have Curves
I first saw this movie back in middle school. This movie does a wonderful job at honestly portraying the relationships that women sometimes have with their bodies. It covers how our relationships with our bodies impact the relationships with the people in our lives. Also, between this movie and Gotta Kick it Up, I became a huge fan of America Ferrera.
Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect is such a cute and fun movie. It's a perfect summer movie, I think, because it has everything you need for one of those feel-good movies. There's a love story, friendship, competition, music, and plenty of jokes. I didn't expect to like this movie so much but it's really enjoyable and the soundtrack is incredible! This is a great movie to watch with a group of friends.
The Color Purple
This is just a movie that everyone should see. It's a classic. The book, written by Alice Walker, is also a classic that everyone should see. The Color Purple is a classic. It covers so many things! This movie brings up domestic violence, relationships, child abuse, self-esteem, racism, religion and so much more. I consider this movie to a staple of American culture. With it being such a phenomenal movie, there is an abundance of great scenes but this one below has to be my favorite.
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The following and cute movies for every age! A lot of these movies are cartoons. They're fun and they tend to bring back memories. These movies also have a lot of meaningful lessons and stories in them. Don't let the animation fool you! There are great stories about family, growth, friendships, and so much more!
Lilo and Stitch
The Lion King
(An Obvious Classic)
Despicable Me
Up
Horton Hears A Who
13 Going On 30
--- Love Stories :)
Love and Basketball
The Object of My Affection
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And this movie will just make you cry. I love movies that make me cry.
Tru Confessions
There are so many great movies that I love and would recommend but I don't want to go on forever. I hope you enjoy any movie days that you may get. Water, popcorn, and summer fruit are the perfect snacks for movie nights.
I was so excited to read Toni Morrison's new novel. It was a great read. It covers such an important topic so I found it very interesting. I think it's a must read because it portrays how childhood trauma and pain goes through you for life. I think that's something that a lot of people can relate too. A lot of people have secrets or things in their past that they're still struggling with. Unfortunately, life doesn't slow down or pause for you to cope with your past. Many people unfortunately carry this weight alone because there's this idea that things that happen in your childhood or adolescence are minimal or it's something that you should be over by the time you reach adulthood. None of that is true. Things that happen years ago are still valid experiences that can bring you pain. Experiences in your childhood have an impact on your entire life, your relationships, your outlook on life, everything. Carrying the weight of these experiences can elicit so many experiences like shame, anger, sadness, or confusion. No one should have to go through that alone. What's great about a book like this is that it can start that conversation. It reminds us that everyone is going through or has been through something. Whether or not they share their whole story, their experiences are valid. What they feel is real and they are completely deserving of your love, respect, and understanding.
(TW: Sexual Abuse) This book also talks about childhood sexual abuse. The impact that is has on victims and the people around them. This is a topic that often goes unspoken, especially in the black community. So it may be triggering for some people but it may be a reminder to others that they are not alone in what happened to them.
I also enjoyed the many different relationships in this book. The relationships and bonds between lovers, brothers, friends. There's anger, regret, remorse, love--how those emotions react with one another and so much more. It will make you think of the ways in which we crave love. We all need and want love. There's a lot of emotion and truth packed into a quite small book and I think that's very special. It's real and honest. I definitely recommend it.
---
Quotes:
"Correct what you can; learn from what you can't."
"No matter how hard we try to ignore it, the mind always knows truth and wants clarity."
"my sex life became sort of like Diet Coke--deceptively sweet minus nutrition."
“A child. New life. Immune to evil or illness, protected from kidnap,
beatings, rape, racism, insult, hurt, self-loathing, abandonment.
Error-free. All goodness. Minus wrath. So they believe.”
"You don't have to love me but you damn well have to respect me."
“What you do to children matters. And they might never forget.”
“But stars can explode, disappear. Besides, what we see when we look at
them may no longer be there. Some could have died thousands of years ago
and we’re just now getting their light. Old information looking like
news.”
I love books! At the beginning of 2014 I made a goal to read more.
That was going well and I was reading for pleasure and loving it. Then I
started grad school and reading for fun took a back seat but I'm so
glad I got to read each and everyone of these books this year. Here is
the list with links to my blog posts about them:
It's no secret that I love Maya Angelou. I feel that she's guiding me through life. I'll jump at any chance to read more of her words and learn from her. I've already shared quotes from this book on my blog. This book really spoke to me. It was so intimate and personal. I loved it.
Favorite quotes:
"Love heals. Heals and liberates."
"I may never be known as a philanthropist, but I certainly want to be known as charitable."
Things I Should Have Told My Daughter by Pearl Cleage
I looked into reading this book after seeing Pearl Cleage on Melissa Harris-Perry's show. My favorite thing about this book is that these are her actual journal entries from a decade of her life. It really made me want to journal more. I really need to work on writing more. At least once a week. I did enjoy following her life and I feel like this is a book I can go back and read during different stages of my own life.
Here are some quotes that I loved:
"I will claim myself for myself."
"I told a student today: You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Praise yourself as much as you fuss at yourself.' And I could have been talking to myself. And I was. And I will."
I think this is a great read for women, activist women, women of color--particularly black women, and writers. I really enjoyed it.
I read this book earlier in the year and I absolutely loved it. I had so many thoughts on it that I never even took the time to sit down and write about it. I wrote all over the pages and I have stickers over this whole book. I don't even know where to begin.
My favorite aspects of this book:
The connections made between American classics like Their Eyes Were Watching God or For Colored Girls and the issues that Black women in America face daily.
I loved the use of poetry, quotes, and imagery. I wasn't expecting that in a political book.
I really enjoyed the quotes from various women from different places. I think it's so important for people's voices and experiences to be shared.
The range of topics the book covered. It raises discussion of religion, strength, beauty, disasters, and so much more. It reaffirms the importance of looking at every aspect of life. We have to be aware of how race, gender, class, past experience, religion, etc all intersect to shape our lives. All of those pieces to our individual puzzles mean something. They set us apart from one another and we have to recognize those differences.
---
This is what the book looked like after I was done:
I'll select a few of the quotes I highlighted:
"It is so easy to be hopeful in the day time when you can see the things you wish on. But it is was night, it stayed night. Night was striding across nothingness with the whole round world i his hands." -Zora Neale Hurston
"...this book makes the claim that the internal, psychological, emotional, and personal experiences of black women are inherently political. They are political because black women in America have always had to wrestle with derogatory assumptions about their character and identity. These assumptions shape the social world that black women must accommodate or resist in an effort to preserve their authentic selves and to secure recognition as citizens. This is less a book about what black women do to become first-class citizens than one about how they feel while they are in that struggle."
"If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression." - Combahee River Collective
"Sometimes black women can conquer negative myths, sometimes they are defeated, and sometimes they choose not to fight. Whatever the outcome, we can better understand sisters as citizens when we appreciate the crooked room in which they struggle to stand upright."
"...shamed individuals see themselves as particularly worthy of punishment. Shame eats away at self-esteem and makes every social role more difficult."
"If African-American women are led to believe that strength is an essential, inborn characteristic--a racial rule--then showing weakness or asking for help becomes traitorous."
"It came to her just before sleep, an idea crystallizing in the dark--how maybe the size of your world ain't what matter, whether it expand or shrink up or expand again. Hurdles to jump. You jump. Erase the lines, draw new ones. Chart a course and follow." (p290)
I recently finished reading On The Come Up by Hannah Weyer. I found out about this book when going through the Our Song tag on tumblr. This book is based on the life of Anna Simpson, one of the girls who stars in the film. Because I loved the movie, I had to make sure I found this book and I am so glad I did. This was a real page turner. I couldn't get enough of it. I really appreciated how honest and real this story came across. I also think that this is the first story I've read in a long time that really takes place in NYC and I especially loved that because I'm living in NYC again. I think that made it feel more real to me. I also loved any part of the book that was set while they were filming the movie. It felt like I was going behind the scenes of one of my favorite movies!
I loved reading this book early every morning during my commute to work. It was so easy to get lost in this book. I'm so glad I found it!
I recommend this for readers who:
like to read biograhpies
enjoy oral histories
like stories that take place in urban settings
want to read a story that takes place in NYC/Far Rockaway
want to read a story about aspiring actresses/singers
enjoy "coming of age" stories
are interested in reading about teenage pregnancy/parenthood
liked the movie "Our Song"
are interested in reading LGBT stories
love books you van get lost in
Because it is one of my favorite movies, here's the trailer for Our Song.
I recently finished reading "The Other Side of Paradise" by Staceyann Chin. I really enjoyed it. There were parts that made me laugh. There were parts that made me cry and gave me goosebumps. It had all the things I loved. The Other Side of Paradise, a memoir, was honest and left me wanting more. I've always been a big fan of Staceyann Chin. She has a wonderful way with words. You can always feel her passion and energy in her words. This book is no different.
♥
Quotes I loved:
"It tickles me to think that from my very first breath, everyone expected me to stop breathing. Against the odds, I surprised everybody. And I must admit that in some of the moments of my life so far, no one has been more taken aback by my own breath than me." (p.13)
"What you don't know is older than you! Sometimes your eyes fail you--sometimes what you see is not what is there." (p.44)
"...a man who only want to bring you down on you back is a man who will want to bring you down in life." (p.51)
"Read everything. The more knowledge you have, the less a man can use you for poppy-show" (p.51)
"Suddenly it dawns on me that, though leaving is hard, this is something I want to do. The choice to go is my decision. For the first time in my life my leaving is something I want to be happening to me. (p.271)
"I go from place to place spouting the gospel of courage and survival. I encourage victims to take hold of destiny and chart it for themselves." (p.274)
I recommend this book for people who:
enjoy reading memoirs
enjoy diversity in books
want to read about queer people of color/women of color
love Staceyann Chin
want to read a story that takes place in Jamaica
love real and honest readings
want to read about real people and real imperfect families
Just finished reading something special. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf is a choreopoem by Ntozake Shange. I read this and it made me feel special. It makes me feel powerful in my own skin. I was finishing it on the bus and holding back tears. Right before I finished reading this, I took the time to read an article called Black Girls and Suicide. It was a really emotional commute for me. It's definitely something I would recommend. I also highly recommend the Black Girls and Suicide article.
Here are some of my favorite parts and quotes:
"& this is for colored girls who have considered suicide / but are moving to the ends of their own rainbows"
♥
“my love is too delicate to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too beautiful to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too sanctified to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too magic to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too saturday nite to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too complicated to have thrown back on my face.
my love is too music to have thrown back on my face.”
♥
I just love this part to pieces. These words, like so many others in the book touched me so much. My love is too delicate to have thrown back in my face. I cannot trust it with just anyone. It is very important to me to give my love and my self only to those who I think deserve it. I've decided that I don't want to be stepped on. I don't want to put something do important to me in the hands of someone who doesn't value it. One of biggest battles and one thing that I try so hard to change is my feeling guilty about being selfish about my own self. I am priceless. You are priceless. We don't have to share any part of ourselves with anyone else. What you want to share is up to you. What I share is up to me. The decision is mine. Through recovery, self discovery, self realizations, triumphs, sadnesses and successes, my magical love has held me when no one else could and I'm not in any position to just throw it around.
♥
"this is mine/ this ain't yr stuff/ now why don't you put me back & let me hang out in my own self" "wontchu put me back/ "stealing my shit from me/ don't make it yrs / makes it stolen/" "if it's really my stuff/ ya gotta give it to me / if ya really want it / i'm the only one / can handle it"
My experiences are mine and they are valid. My life is my own and not to be compared with anyone else's. I refuse to have my accomplishments shared while I drown in my losses alone.
Protect yourself from people that only want to be there for the highs. Watch out for those who are only around when you're up. Some people only want to share your successes but are no where to be found when you need help or when you're down.
Be careful not to compare your life and your "stuff" to other people's. You are living one life and one life only and it is yours. There is no competition. We were not put on this planet to race or compete with anyone. Live your life to the best of your ability. It's the only one you have so don't waste it focusing on someone else's.
You belong to you. I belong to me! I am my own woman.
♥
"one thing i don't need
is any more apologies
i got sorry greetin me at my front door
you can keep yrs
i dont know what to do wit em
they dont open doors
or bring the sun back
they dont make me happy
or get a morning paper
didnt nobody stop usin my tears to wash cars
cuz a sorry
i am simply tiredof collectin"
It's hard to hear sorry sometimes. It's almost like a reflex to some people. Sometimes it doesn't have any meaning behind it. Sometimes I get sick of that word "sorry." I want to hear someone take responsibility. I think apologies should mean something. Don't even get me started on those super fake apologies that sound like, "I'm sorry that you think I did something wrong." What does that even mean? When you apologize, you should take responsibility instead of placing the blame on the person you've wronged. Sometimes I just don't know how to feel about "I'm sorry." Most times I appreciate the effort but "sorry" doesn't always fix anything and sometimes people don't even mean it.
"let sorry soothe yr soul / i'm gonna soothe mine"
♥
"but bein alive & bein a woman & being colored is a metaphysical dilemma / i havent conquered yet / do you see the point my spirit is too ancient to understand the separation of soul & gender / my love is too delicate to have thrown back on my face"
♥
"i found god in myself & I loved her / i loved her fiercely"
"I'm just really into walking in my purpose and saying yes to life right now. Ya know?"
