Hood Wellness

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By Tamela J. Gordon

Publisher 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.

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20 Reviews

4.0

Chrissie

Created about 1 month ago

“Gordon’s wisdom, honesty, and cleverness is essential to American well-being. Sharp and brilliantly structured, Hood Wellness is an uncensored view of what healing might look like - both on a personal and societal level. Hood Wellness has inspired me to envision a world where everyone is not just allowed to be, but encouraged to thrive. What a rich and incredibly powerful world that would be! The magic of Tamela Gordon is that within a larger world directly opposed to her own safety and well-being, she has chosen to create this rich, wonderful world dedicated to health, healing and community. May we all learn to be so bold.”

Explicit sexual content Misogyny Racism Self-harm Transphobia

Eniola Idowu

Created 3 months ago

““As Tamela reminds us, healing is ugly work. It requires getting down into the depths of our experiences and our souls, seeing all that is there, and trying to make sense of things that often make no sense. Yet, healing is cleansing.” Thank you, Ms. Gordon, for writing this incredible book. Reflecting on my own advocacy for mental health and wellness, I am reminded that we cannot promote well-being without addressing the systemic barriers that BIPOC and marginalized genders face. Tamela Gordon masterfully unpacks how wellness extends beyond individual self-care—it is deeply tied to community, rest, and the structural inequities that shape our ability to heal. One of the most powerful moments in the book is Gordon’s discussion of how shame often accompanies our struggles with health, whether it be dental care, mental health, or financial instability. Reading about her journey through severe periodontal disease, the loss of her teeth, and the financial burden of treatment resonated with me because it exposed an often-overlooked truth: access to care is not always a matter of willpower, but of resources. The idea that self-care is something you should “just do” if you want to be well ignores the realities of those who cannot afford therapy, medical treatments, or even the time to rest. As a Black woman in America, we witness how often we pour into others while being met with exhaustion, invisibility, and disrespect. But what about us? Who cares for the caregivers? My favorite section of the book, Care and Intersectionality, resonated deeply because it offers a rare and necessary analysis of how care is defined for Black women and marginalized genders. This chapter made me reflect on my own experiences navigating spaces where wellness is framed as an individual responsibility rather than a collective practice. As a public health expert, I believe this book should be included in academic courses to shift perspectives on wellness, systemic inequities, and the necessity of communal healing. Hood Wellness is not just a book—it is a call to action, an invitation to redefine self-care in ways that are accessible, inclusive, and rooted in justice. For anyone working in health, advocacy, or community-based care, this book offers essential insights into what true well-being looks like beyond the polished aesthetics of mainstream wellness culture.”

Educational Engaging Motivational Rewarding Thought-provoking Credible sources Personal experience Balanced perspectives Easy to follow Conversational Misogyny Racism Substance abuse

booked&busy

Created 3 months ago

“This was the March read for a book club I’m in and I’m so glad this book was picked, otherwise, I’m not sure I would’ve stumbled upon it myself. At such a time as this, this collection of experiences is such a necessary read. They detail health related trauma (mental and physical.) More importantly, the perseverance exercised by the individual to overcome and make their life bigger than what has happened to them. I found all the stories to be very touching and very timely as we see rights being rolled back and more being attempted to be rolled back, disproportionately impacting those in marginalized communities. The author also shared how the people sharing their experiences can be supported as they work to bring awareness and equality to the communities/causes serve.”

Rae ♡

Created 4 months ago

“Some good ideas were presented here, but at times the over-embellishment of the writing took away from that. I do wonder how a framework that advocates divesting from the commodification of self-care can truly separate itself from the capitalist society we live in? Gordon often talks about her money struggles and how fundraising was at the center of her wellness journey. I get what she was saying tho. A facial isn’t going to solve deeper problems lol.”

Goddessreads

Created 5 months ago

“this was really good. i would def read it again.”

Believable Diverse representation Original Relatable

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.