Rock My Soul Black People and SelfEsteem

<B>From the late feminist icon and <I>New York Times </I>bestselling author of <I>All About Love</I>, an in-depth look at one of the most critical issues facing Black Americans: a collective wounded self-esteem that has prevailed from slavery to the present day, with a new introduction by Tressie McMillan Cottom, author of <I>Thick.</I></B><BR><BR>Why do so many Black Americans—whether privileged or poor, urban or suburban, young or old—live in a state of chronic anxiety, fear, and shame?<i> Rock My Soul: Black People and Self-Esteem</i> breaks through collective denial and dares to imagine a more liberatory framework for understanding “self and identity in a world where loss is commonplace.”<BR> <BR>With visionary insight, hooks exposes the underlying reality that it has been difficult—if not impossible—for our nation to create a culture that promotes and sustains healthy self-esteem. Without self-esteem people begin to lose their sense of agency. They feel powerless. But it is never too late for any of us to acquire the healthy self-esteem that is needed for a fulfilling life.<BR> <BR>While originally written in 2002, hooks’ insights into the heart and soul of the Black American identity crisis continue to ring true. Through history, pop culture criticism, and hard-won wisdom, hooks writes about what it takes to heal the scars of the past, promote and maintain self-esteem, and lay down the roots for a truly grounded sense of community and collectivity.<BR> <BR>Moving beyond the ways historical racial justice movements have failed, hooks also identifies diverse psychological barriers and collective traumas keeping us from well-being. In highlighting the roles of desegregation, education, the absence of progressive parenting, spiritual crisis, or fundamental breakdowns in communication between Black women and men, bell hooks identifies mental health as a revolutionary frontier—and provides guidance for healing within the Black community.