Fifty-five poems grouped under five headings: "things i wd say," "love & other highways," "closets," " & she bleeds," and "she whispers with the unicorn."

Collecting the best of the underground blog Weird Sister, these unapologetic and insightful essays link contemporary feminism to literature and pop culture. Launched in 2014, Weird Sister proudly staked out a corner of the internet where feminist writers could engage with the literary and popular culture that excited or enraged them. The blog made space amid book websites dominated by white male editors and contributors, and also committed to covering literary topics in-depth when larger feminist outlets rarely could. Throughout its decade-long run, Weird Sister served as an early platform for some of contemporary literature’s most striking voices, naming itself a website that “speaks its mind and snaps its gum and doesn’t apologize.” Edited by founder Marisa Crawford, The Weird Sister Collection brings together the work of longtime contributors such as Morgan Parker, Christopher Soto, Soleil Ho, Julián Delgado Lopera, Virgie Tovar, Jennif(f)er Tamayo, and more, alongside new original essays. Offering nuanced insight into contemporary and historical literature, in conversation with real-life and timely social issues, these pieces mark a transitional and transformative moment in online and feminist writing.

Taking the concept of beauty seriously, this encyclopedia examines how humanity has sought and continues to seek what is "beautiful" in a variety of cultural contexts, giving readers an understanding of how to look at beauty both intellectually and critically. Is beauty ever more than "skin deep"? Arguably yes, considering that the concept of beauty—and the pursuit of it—has shaped cultures worldwide, across every time period, and has even served to change the course of history. Studying beauty practices yields insight into social status, wealth, political ideology, religious doctrine, and gender expectations, including gender nonconformity. A truly interdisciplinary text, Beauty around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia presents an insightful perspective on beauty that draws from philosophy, literature, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and feminist studies, giving readers a unique view of world beauty practices. This volume offers information about beauty practices from the past to the present in alphabetical entries that address terms and topics such as "beards," "dreadlocks," "Geisha," "moko tattoos," and "progressive muscularity." Readers will better comprehend how beauty shapes many social interactions in profound ways worldwide, and that the unspoken social agreements that shape ideals of attractiveness and desirability within any given culture can matter very much. The encyclopedia's entries challenge readers to consider the questions "What is beauty?" and "Why does it matter?" A comprehensive bibliography is a valuable resource for further research.

Willa Wonka decided to share her story in this four-part series of memories about her past that she is always confronted and haunted by through her dreams during the night. Forgetting the dreadful ordeals of her past seemed impossible, so she sought and found ways how to cope with the past. She looks to God and his word daily for her strength to get through every day, and she constantly meditates in prayer as her medication for healing as well as her spiritual relationship in connection with the Higher Power. One late evening, during her devotional Bible study, she received a sign from God. He gave her confirmation to let go and release those inner demons by telling and sharing her story as part of her healing process and in hopes to help others who may share a similar story. By telling her story, it will also help others that face those same demons find comfort in knowing that there is hope, real true love, peace, and a calm after every storm. Forgiving has all to do with releasing yourself from an internal mental prison and protecting your spiritual soul, but how does one forget? In this first part of Willa's memories, she takes a journey back to the past and relives her most memorable events, whether good or bad, happy or sad, loved or unloved, frightened or comforted, crazy or sane to confront her past head-on.

Any pain not transformed will be transferred. • The Wisdom Walk to Self-Mastery invites you to take a virtual and spiritual journey through your inner landscape – that invisible and most powerful part of who you are, to uncover, accept, transform and heal emotional pain. Traumatic and unwanted experiences teach fear. The Wisdom Walk to Self-Mastery teaches love, and how to choose love over fear. The information contained in this book is rooted in ancient wisdom from West Africa and can transport you away from the belief that the world is out to ‘get’ you, and into the truth that the world is out to ‘gift’ you. Created as a continuous learning tool for graduates of The Wisdom Walk to Self-Mastery program, this book can be of service to anyone committed to learning how to stop transferring pain and become the best version of themselves.

This book offers a history and analysis of African American children's literature from its beginnings to the present. Chapters explore issues surrounding race and representation, from the race and gender politics of African American hair to the absence of the "N-word" in children's books.

chapters discuss issues impacting the education of African American girls and many of challenges that they encounter during their schooling experiences. The chapters were written by 24 authors including a school superintendent, university administrator and professors, classroom teacher, mother and a 10th grade African American student. The 20 chapters of the book are organized into four sections. Section one introduces the book and provides critical perspectives. Section Two focuses on Curriculum and instruction. Section Three shares information from significant stakeholders while the last section includes other schooling experiences and ends with a powerful poem by a tenth grade African American girl, entitled “Proud.” The forward of the book, written by a Japanese American scholar, Valerie Pang, denotes the urgency of the book noting that the book “warms the heart.” The book ends with an epilogue, written by an African American scholar, Tyrone Howard, who has a vested interest in African American males. He shares commanding interest in this scholarship, because what happens to African American females, impacts African American males and the entire African American community.