Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible
“The quest for good is a marathon and not a sprint; it is measured over years, not fleeting moments; over failures and missteps and, of course, successes.”
This novel covered the lived experiences of authors Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené as well as other topical subjects such healthcare, black women in sport, education, work, and dating. After reading this book, I just remember thinking “somebody did it” they captured what many black women have seen, felt or held and documented it all.
Whilst sharing their own experiences, Yomi and Elizabeth were vulnerable and transparent whilst talking about their black identity within white spaces, and the pressure felt at times to work 10x higher. Not only those they included interviews with dozens of the most successful black women in Britain – including BAFTA Award-winning director Amma Asante, British Vogue publisher Vanessa Kingori and Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis, which made the book even more enriching.
When black women are discussed or portrayed in society, we are often shown as aggressive, loud and/or intimidating. Rarely are we portrayed as courageous, gentle, beautiful, or kind. Not only this, when it comes to promotion and being seen/respected in the workspace we have are ranked last behind white/black men and white women making it even harder to thrive. Yet Yomi and Elizabeth, as well as those interviewed have burst myths and exceeded expectations in their on spheres of influences, encouraging other young black women that they too can slay in their lane. Whilst microaggressions can still occur, interracial dating can still be frowned upon and representation is still limited in some sectors…these areas are being challenged, the silence has been broken and black women are speaking up. However, what I really like about the book, is that while “slaying”, we don’t have to be flawless all the time, we must remember we are human and we mustn’t forget that, to ensure our mental wellbeing remains intact.
As a young black woman in academia, trying to succeed as a lecturer (one day professor), this book really moved me and was a reminder that I too can thrive, whilst there may be resistance and challenges along the way, with the right support, faith and determined mindset I can slay! It is time to change the narrative of black women, and this book was certainly a steppingstone towards that, and I hope more books like this are released.
Rating 8/10