My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem

My Grandmother’s Hands

I find it difficult to put into words what this book means to me, but suffice to say, it helps me understand why even hearing or watching incidents of racism cause a felt experience in body–from a thumping in my heart, to taking shallow breaths as I brace myself for the worst. It explores racial trauma across different times and contexts, from current society, to slavery in the United States, and Medieval Europe, as one segment of the population inevitably used bodily force and other forms of oppression to dominate another. It explores the impacts of racism for the oppressor and the oppressed alike. The author uses his training as a somatic therapist to provide guidance for how we can collectively heal from this trauma, and create better pathways moving forward.