Hey Lovelies,
I could not put down the critically-acclaimed book, “Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration By Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts.” This book resonated with me so much that I was crying my eyes out. I gave myself a hug and said "I love you," and "You deserve joy," as if I was hugging the younger version of myself. Tracey reafffirms the idea that joy is our best form of resistance.
Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts is a writer and thought leader who provides readers and listeners with an authentic experience and the chance to delve deeply into the nexus of culture, identity, and spirituality. She is the creator of HeARTspace, a healing community that uses the arts and storytelling to support those who have experienced trauma of any type, as well as the host of the podcast HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae'l.
Tracey has authored 15 books, working on multiple projects with well-known authors.
Black Joy received the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional. Stars like Kerry Washington, literary giants like Kiese Laymon and Deesha Philyaw, and media sites like USA Today, Essence Magazine, and Good Morning America have all given Black Joy raving reviews.
Now let's dive into this book review!
Synopsis
In the critically-acclaimed Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration By Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts empowers Black folks with a blueprint for healing our minds and spirits through Black joy.
What started out as Tracey writing an essay on Black joy for the Washington Post, turned into a masterpiece that deeply resonate and become a tool for resilience. With a collection of poetic essays, Tracey hopes to give her community a gift of how joy has grown in her own life—even in the face of trauma. By describing these moments of joy within the framework of Black culture, we can both fight the stereotypes that Black life is only made up of tragedy and adversity and acknowledge the power of Black joy as a resource.
Readers who read Black Joy will feel rejuvenated. It’s the kind of book that after a difficult day gets shared between friends and provides both challenge and solace. It is a daring place to calm the mind and smooth the soul, and it provides reassurance to the reader that they are not alone.
The inspirational
This book is intriguing, honest, and exquisitely written work that is soothing to the soul. Tracey is vulnerable and a true embodiment of affirming Black love, Black liberation, and Black Joy.
Tracey brilliantly explains how our worth is not based on how hardworking we are. Unfortunately, growing up I personally got awarded based on my achievements and associated my worth with my achievements and accolades and now I know that is wrong. I am worthy of love, joy, and acceptance simply for existing and showing up as myself.
My worth is also not based on how many likes or comments I get on social media as the author describes. Our worth is not based on the amount of money we make or how many hours we overwork ourselves at the office. When we die none of that will matter. What will matter is how we felt and I don’t know about you but I am choosing to feel joy in this life.
We can not please everyone and I am choosing not to and instead choosing to put my mental health first. If that makes me the villain in other people's story so be it. But I know when I look back on my life, I can say with absolute certainty that I have helped so many people and done so much good in the world so much more than I will even know. So I'm choosing to embrace the joy.
Tracey uses her own lived experiences and challenges with relationships and work life balance to give us the recipe for claiming and keeping joy. She encourages readers to reclaim and make space for joy even if you have to pencil it into your schedule. She also mentions the need to seek healing through nonsexual intimate touch.
Tracey highlights that when you’re trying so hard to protect yourself from things you can’t see or predict then you can’t enjoy what’s happening right in front of you. Tracey discusses how black people have an amazing ability to thrive despite not having safety.
Throughout the book Tracey mentions police brutality and injustice against Black Lives like Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin, and even one of her own family members. Tracey shares her traumatic experience about how she could not step foot in a grocery store for 8 months after she lost her family members. This piece of the book deeply resonates with me because I couldn’t step foot in a mall for several months after I was harassed and still struggle with that fear. But the thing about fear is when we don’t talk about it or try to shove it down then we actually amplify it and breathe life into it.
The author challenges us to identify where our fear is stemming from and who the people are or events that made us feel that way in the first place as uncomfortable as it may be, at first the fear will dissolve until nothing is left except the truth and love. This is where joy comes in.
I had to hold up the two truths in the light: sure there’s a possibility I might get harassed outside of the mall again but there’s also the possibility that I might not. We must have the ability to see the good in the midst of evil. I take comfort in the fact that God never leaves me or forsakes me so I must lean into the fear but also understand and hold space for myself to know I’m not alone and the hope that joy will come again.
Top Five Quotes
"In a season when the news is steadily punching us in the gut with all kinds of terror, we have to write our joy in."
"I eventually learned that Facebook has nothing on God’s algorithm."
"It’s been said we lose ourselves in music or literature or art. I disagree. I think we find ourselves there."
"It is okay that there are things I do not and cannot know. That fact does not have to make me want to spit fire or cause deep sadness. It just is. And even in that gray area, I can have an unspeakable joy arise from nowhere and require no investigation. I can sit in that joy and receive its power."
“In fact, maybe that’s what Black joy is at its core. Finding a way to fly even if it’s just our souls that can take flight. "
Have you read Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration By Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts?
What other books would you like me to review?
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