Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group
of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures
to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to
understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience.
Contributions by Kiese Laymon, Imani Perry, Laverne Cox, Jason Reynolds, Austin Channing Brown, and more
It started as a text between two friends.
Tarana Burke,
founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement, texted researcher and writer Brené
Brown to see if she was free to jump on a call. Brené assumed that
Tarana wanted to talk about wallpaper. They had been trading home
decorating inspiration boards in their last text conversation
so Brené started scrolling to find her latest Pinterest pictures when
the phone rang.
But it was immediately clear to Brené that the conversation wasn’t going to be about wallpaper. Tarana’s hello
was serious and she hesitated for a bit before saying, “Brené, you know
your work affected me so deeply, but as a Black woman,
I’ve sometimes had to feel like I have to contort myself to fit into
some of your words. The core of it rings so true for me, but the
application has been harder.”
Brené replied, “I’m so glad we’re
talking about this. It makes sense to me. Especially in terms of
vulnerability. How do you take the armor off in a country where you’re
not physically or emotionally safe?”
Long pause.
“That’s
why I’m calling,” said Tarana. “What do you think about working together
on a book about the Black experience with vulnerability and shame
resilience?”
There was no hesitation.
Burke and Brown are
the perfect pair to usher in this stark, potent collection of essays on
Black shame and healing. Along with the anthology contributors, they
create a space to recognize and process the trauma of white supremacy, a
space to be vulnerable and affirm the fullness of Black love and Black
life.
