I am beginning a series of critical reviews and abstracts of books on my shelf. How We Get Free was a title I picked up about 2 years ago when I first heard Congresswoman Dr. Loretta Ross discuss the inspiration of Reproductive Justice leaders.
Abstract
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective was a set of interviews conducted by Yamatah Taylor with 4 influential Black Feminist leaders; 3 were present during the establishment of the Combahee River Collective (CRC), and one whose current activism was deeply impacted by the CRC. The purpose was to contextualize the history and impact of the CRC as a framing moment for Black Feminism and womanism. My main takeaways are that Black feminist movement leaders have changed their terminology, communication mode and leadership throughout history, but it is for the overall purpose of long term culture change and political spread of ideals in ways that others can continually partake. Storytelling/journaling is a major skill that young leaders should practice, and this ethnographic/qualitative style is very appealing to me.
Author: Keeanga-Yamahta Taylor
Overview
The book was separated into categories to commemorate and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Combahee River Collective Statement with interviews conducted by the author. The introduction was a nice sociopolitical primer on Black women. There was a lot of data on how the Black women experience is validated by economic hardship, health inequity and demographic indicators. The Combahee Womens Collective origin story was shared, along with its spheres of influence. The original analysis that birthed intersectionality was the idea that new categories of oppressions are interlocking and enmeshed. The CRC influenced the womens movement, arguing for the liberation of all oppressed people. The next chapters are transcripts from interviews with legendary Black feminists Barbara Smith, Beverly Smith, Demita Frazier and Alicia Garza. All of the interviews surfed through opinion, personal stories, historic accounts, political movements and visioning for the future.
Highlights & Synthesis
Think the frame is Black feminism because the personal political frame of the interviewees was American Black Feminism. They talk about Black feminist organizing shifting through time and space. Every piece of organizing movements I symbolic, strategic and purposeful. Even the name was an attempt to make it geopolitical and not about negligible hurt Black feelings. Anti-capitalism is undergirding the whole thing, taking it farther than 2nd wave feminism. Organizations have conflict and break down as institutions all the time, but what have you crated that lasts? Who have you inspired that will move the purpose forward in other ways? Media and messaging are significant. RJ is an Afrofuturist sentiment.
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