Taking Up Space: The Black Girl's Manifesto For Change

'I think we feel a lot of pressure that we have to produce some kind of evidence as to why you feel marginalised, or some sort of statistical data. But if you feel some type of way, it's truth on its own. Your feeling our its own truth.' – Saredo


The second book from the #MerkyBooks imprint within William Heinemann, a part of Penguin Random House UK, written by University of Cambridge graduates Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi is a well written manifesto about the struggle of black women in the education system.

The book manages to include varied aspects of racial torment that the two authors, their fourteen interviewees and many like them have experienced, in a relatively short book.

It integrates quotes from their interviewees seamlessly and uses them as a springboard for conversation. It has many quotable moments from the start with information that is shocking to read such as the blatant racism from within the University of Cambridge and the struggle to feel desired looking for a partner in university.

The later themes of mental health and self-care are applicable to many and I feel that this can be a stepping stone for people who aren't black women into their world , despite it being towards the end of the book, as it is a topic that all walks of life experience.

 The inclusion of anecdotes, statistics and calls to action within each chapter make it impossible to be read passively and I think that's important in terms of allowing black women like myself to feel comfortable within the education system and for everyone else to learn from it too. They also make the book for palatable and easier to understand.

The overall presentation of the book is sleek and eye catching.

I recommend this to anyone and everyone especially scholars as them being educated on these issues could help to reduce them in the future.

I also divulge more of my thoughts on the book in this video.




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