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Newly released book, Souls of my Young Sisters, celebrates women’s personal journeys and empowerment
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June 5th, 2010Allyn Gaestel, BlogBy Allyn Gaestel
Souls of My Young Sisters is an inspiring book written by young women, for young women. The stories the authors share are glaringly honest and brutally real. Women speak of their struggles ranging from domestic violence to heartbreak, body image and career trials. But these women are all survivors, and they share the inspiration that pulled them through dark times with other young women.
Candace Sandy, one of the authors of the book explained: “For young African American women, there are staggering statistics about single motherhood, about poverty, about HIV. As we get older, about heart disease and strokes. There is also this amazing power of when these women get older they become the center of their families, they are cleaning up messes of their family, and taking in other children, they are the influencers, they may not have anything but they are going to give anything that they can to the children in their lives…so what we want to try to do, through the voices of the young women is to say look, first let’s know who we are and then let’s take control of how we’re being positioned and what our stories are.“
The book is written for women in the twentysomething range, which perhaps explains why it spoke to me so deeply (I being a twentysomething woman), but Sandy hopes the stories will transcend the pages, and women will speak to younger sisters about it. She said: “the thirteen year olds are acting pretty much like eighteen year olds and unfortunately in some communities you may have twentysomethings with a 13 year old. So we’re trying to have honest dialogue with these women and hopefully they will start having dialogue with the younger people in their lives to be able to dispel the myths.”
The stories are framed as first-person accounts of struggles women have overcome with an emphasis on what pulled them through and how they used these challenges to become stronger individuals.
Starr Murrell’s story speaks on her heartbreak when she found out the man she had been centering her life around was simultaneously engaged to someone else. She had pulled away from her career as a dancer and model to focus on building a home with him, only to find herself with nothing when the truth came out.
She had never shared her story until Sandy invited her to a focus group during the early stages of the book’s development. From speaking with the women in the room, she found her voice and was inspired to incorporate an honest and open portrayal of her life into her work in fashion, media and acting. “This whole process is very cathartic, it’s been therapy…writing all these feelings down and reading them back to myself, you kind of see the growth and you see where you were and where you are now. It’s great. I see a stronger woman, I see someone who is more confident and independent, and also someone who is more loving and able to not hold on to grudges or ill will.”
Aleia Moore survived a horrific car crash as a child, and was not expected to live, but with therapy and perseverance she was able to rebuild and go on to academic and professional success. She is already a published author, and her collection of poems “Pieces of Me” has been available since October. Speaking to me at a posh press event for the book at Covet lounge she said: “As we can see, with therapy and prayer and perseverance everything turned out well, and the gist of my story is that if you’re dedicated and you work hard and you continue to press on, that you can overcome anything that’s put in front of you”
The women framed their stories as gifts and messages to other people. Everyone spoke of the hope of fostering sisterhood and letting people know they are not alone in their struggles. Kimberly Cooper, another contributor wrote of her process of finding her own support through faith to get through the death of both of her parents by the time she was 22, and her first big heartbreak at 32. She emphasized the need to foster community among women: “When sisters get together there is a healing power that comes through that, so I absolutely feel that this can speak for women as well, I mean these are our stories, I’m a woman.”
Cooper called herself a “vessel” and tries to be as transparent as possible with her struggles so that others can learn from her honest portrayal of her journey. “We carry the burden of a lot and we need to be encouraged too, we need to know that it’s ok, we need to know that tomorrow’s going to be a better day, we need to know that we’re not alone.”
While the book is written by and for young women, the messages are meant to transcend any barriers. Sandy said: “We want to just kind of work on us, and the word ‘us’ isn’t limited to African-American women, we embrace all women, because we’re going through a lot.” Murrell reflected, “I think any one, young women, young men, the older demographic, I think anybody that picks up this book “souls of my young sisters” will be touched or moved by it in some sort of way.”
The authors have high hopes for the book, which is now available in stores and online. They aim to make the New York Times bestseller list. There may also be a second edition, and hopefully a book geared toward even younger women.
Souls of My Young Sisters is a follow-up to Souls of My Sisters, which was released to critical acclaim in 2000. Starr Murrell is also hosting a blog talk radio showed inspired by the book, which will air Thursdays at 11pm at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/soulsofmyyoungsisters.
Tags: non-fiction, souls of my young sisters, young women -
January 14th, 2010Events, Paradigm Shift Event
February 23, 2010 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community Proudly Present
“The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women”
A Discussion withJESSICA VALENTI, Author & Feministing.com Founder/Editor
CRITICS’ PICK- PARADIGM SHIFT HONORED FOR 5TH TIME!
UPDATE- AS OF 2/18- tickets are almost sold out- please buy now!
Portion of the proceeds donated to Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls
Buy Tickets Now- this event will sell out!
Network with your community before & after discussion“This book is solidly researched, candidly personal, and smartly political. Valenti skewers sexism from abstinence campaigns to pop culture. Every young woman should read The Purity Myth – and it sure as hell would help if every young man read it as well!”
- Robin Morgan, Author and Activist“It’s hard not to love Jessica Valenti. The Brooklyn-based founder of Feministing.com–the uncompromising, balls-out, feminist blog–is brilliant, beautiful, and not even 30 years old.”
-BUST magazineWhen: TUES, FEB. 23rd
Time: 7:00-10:00 pm
Where: In the heart of the Feminist District
The Tank- 354 West 45th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues).
Subway directions:
Take the A,C,E to 42nd Street/Time Square. Walk West.Cost: $7 students/pre-paid, $10 at door
BUY TICKETS NOW- CLICK HERE
Partners include
Therese Shechter, Director of “How to Lose Your Virginity”
The American Virgin blog
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Chicks Rock, a program of The Women’s Mosaic
NARAL Pro-Choice New York
Planned Parenthood of New York City Activist Council
Bluestockings
NOW NYS YFTF
Manhattan Young Democrats
New Yorkers Against Religion-Based Bigotry
WomenAndHollywood.comABOUT JESSICA VALENTI:
http://jessicavalenti.comBUY “The Purity Myth”- now out in paperback:
Click here to buyABOUT “THE PURITY MYTH”:
The United States is obsessed with virginity from the media to schools to government agencies. The Purity Myth is an important and timely critique of about why this is so, and why it’s problematic for girls and women. Analyzing cultural stereotypes and media messages, Jessica Valenti reveals the overt and hidden ways our society links a woman’s worth to her sexuality rather than to values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti takes on issues ranging from abstinence-only education to pornography and exposes the legal and social punishments that women who dare to have sex endure. Importantly, she also offers solutions that pave the way for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity, including a call to rethink male sexuality and reframe the idea of “losing it.” With Valenti’s usual balance of intelligence and wit, The Purity Myth presents a powerful and revolutionary argument that valuing girls and women for their sexuality needs to stop–and outlines a new vision for how it can happen.ABOUT WILLIE MAE ROCK CAMP FOR GIRLS:
Tags: activism, feminism, feministing.com, jessica valenti, sex, virginity, young women
http://www.williemaerockcamp.org
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls is a non-profit music and mentoring program that empowers girls and women through music education and activities that foster self-respect, leadership skills, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
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