4.5
Hood Wellness
By Tamela J. GordonPublisher Description
“A funny, thought-provoking, and profound memoir about the intersection of Blackness and health. Gordon’s vision of a more just future feels both inspiring and possible.” — Kirkus Starred Review
What does self-care look like when struggling to make ends meet, living with a disability, or navigating intersectional marginalization? How can you prioritize well-being while divesting from systems built to destroy you? The answer: Hood Wellness, a groundbreaking exploration that challenges the oppressive systems deeply rooted in health and wellness industries in the United States.
In a world where self-care is critical to survival, Gordon offers a revolutionary perspective that celebrates individuals' unique privileges, challenges, and desires. By defying the norms of multi-billion-dollar industries, Hood Wellness illuminates the possibilities that emerge when we prioritize well-being while divesting from harmful structures.
Hood Wellness is also a deep exploration of people forced to overcome harrowing circumstances with little more than communal support and the will to get well.
From terminal illness and police violence to embracing gender identity in a society that's attacking trans and queer rights, each story reflects America's extreme political, racial, and gender climates. Gordon challenges everything we think we know about wellness by calling out the wellness industry's inability to include those outside the margins of white, heteronormative identities. She lays plain that self-care as we know it is mostly just surface-level "cute," and communal care is the call-to-action that America needs.
Drawing on elements of memoir, self-help, humor, critical race theory, and devastatingly honest storytelling, Gordon guides readers on a transformative journey toward a new paradigm of wellness.
This compelling book serves as a beacon, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and self-love in today's world. As Gordon shares her personal odyssey, she intertwines the stories of others, revealing her profound discoveries, triumphs, and passions related to self-care.
Hood Wellness introduces readers to an inclusive and accessible self-care primer and an approach to well-being that holds the potential to bring about profound change in their lives.
What does self-care look like when struggling to make ends meet, living with a disability, or navigating intersectional marginalization? How can you prioritize well-being while divesting from systems built to destroy you? The answer: Hood Wellness, a groundbreaking exploration that challenges the oppressive systems deeply rooted in health and wellness industries in the United States.
In a world where self-care is critical to survival, Gordon offers a revolutionary perspective that celebrates individuals' unique privileges, challenges, and desires. By defying the norms of multi-billion-dollar industries, Hood Wellness illuminates the possibilities that emerge when we prioritize well-being while divesting from harmful structures.
Hood Wellness is also a deep exploration of people forced to overcome harrowing circumstances with little more than communal support and the will to get well.
From terminal illness and police violence to embracing gender identity in a society that's attacking trans and queer rights, each story reflects America's extreme political, racial, and gender climates. Gordon challenges everything we think we know about wellness by calling out the wellness industry's inability to include those outside the margins of white, heteronormative identities. She lays plain that self-care as we know it is mostly just surface-level "cute," and communal care is the call-to-action that America needs.
Drawing on elements of memoir, self-help, humor, critical race theory, and devastatingly honest storytelling, Gordon guides readers on a transformative journey toward a new paradigm of wellness.
This compelling book serves as a beacon, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and self-love in today's world. As Gordon shares her personal odyssey, she intertwines the stories of others, revealing her profound discoveries, triumphs, and passions related to self-care.
Hood Wellness introduces readers to an inclusive and accessible self-care primer and an approach to well-being that holds the potential to bring about profound change in their lives.
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4.5
Carolyn🫖✨
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“This book feels like a gift from Tamela Gordon to black and brown folks of marginalized genders. While I am a white woman, I so appreciate how open and generous she is with her own experiences and stories and those of her friends. Holly’s story especially struck such a chord with me. Gordon dives into the racism and homophobia throughout America’s history and present as she weaves her own story of becoming. Her emphasis on the importance of radical self-love, collective action, and communal aid could not be timelier or more necessary! Also, she is really freaking funny!”
AbuseRacismSexual assaultEngagingThought-provokingTimelyPersonal experienceWell-researchedFlows wellConversational
Chanel Sledge
Created 12 days agoShare
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Thought-provokingCredible sourcesPersonal experienceThematically-structuredAccessibleConversationalFunny
Carrie Lee
Created 13 days agoShare
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Zoe
Created about 1 month agoShare
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“This book was a blessing and a comfort that I cannot begin to express how healing it was to read. It was thought provoking and brought insights that I didn’t know I needed. She was able to bring themes that enabled me to continue to heal, grow, and learn. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your work.”
AbuseSelf-harmSexual assaultViolenceThought-provokingBeautifully-writtenDescriptiveEasy to readFunny
BooksAmongstFriends
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About Tamela J. Gordon
Tamela Julia Gordon (she/her) is a freelance writer, editor, discerning book critic, and passionate communal care advocate. After several years of relying on online fundraisers for medical and housing needs, Tamela relocated from New York to Miami, where she eventually turned her "cozy" Little Havana apartment into a makeshift retreat, fundraising to cover expenses for guests to stay and explore self-care, healing, and joy. Through her writing, she strives to uplift and empower others, foster a sense of belonging, and nurture personal growth.
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