Book: “Hood Feminism”
Author: Mikki Kendall
Genre: Collection of Non-Fiction Essays
I am not much for sharing publicly. I tend to be more introverted and prefer reading to speaking with a group of people. With that being said, the past few weeks have been turbulent to say the least. Recently, I came across this book and decided to pick it up. There’s something about this book that spoke to me. I’m not sure what it is exactly yet, but I saw the description and I knew that I needed to read it. I wanted to share this book from debut author Mikki Kendall as I think it is going to be a game changer.
A synopsis from www.goodreads.com:
“Today’s feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?
In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.”
I was speaking to a bookish friend the other day about the importance of writing and its impact on life. One of the statements that we agreed on was this: “The books that stick with you are the most meaningful.” Books have the power to change your perspective and provide critical insight.
Something tells me that this book will leave an imprint on my heart long after I have finished reading it.
Wishing you deliberate and significant reading.
Literature & Lattes 