‘Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman’s Journey Through Depression’
An inspirational and revealing memoir by Meri Nana-Ama Danquah about an African-American woman’s lifelong fight to identify and overcome depression. Danquah, a “working-class broke,” 22-year-old single mother, began to suffer from a variety of depressive symptoms after she gave birth to her daughter, which led her to suspect that she might be going crazy. Understanding the importance of strength in a world that often undervalues Black women’s lives, she shrouded herself and her illness in silence and denial. “Black women are supposed to be strong — caretakers, nurturers, healers of other people — any of the twelve dozen variations of Mammy,” writes Danquah. But eventually, she could no longer deny the debilitating sadness that interfered with her ability to care for her daughter, to pursue her career as a writer and to engage in personal relationships. “This is how the world feels to me when I am depressed,” she writes. “Everything is blurry, out of focus, fading like a photograph; people seem incapable of change; living feels like a waste of time and effort.” The book provides a rare and insightful testimony about what it means to be Black, female and battling depression in a society that often idealizes Black women as strong, nurturing caregivers.
‘Not Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression’
Monica A. Coleman, in a 40-day devotional, shares the struggles she faced to personalize the book and give voice to depression and let readers know they are not alone. The book also serves as a guide to help readers’ journey toward faith, personal exploration, self-acceptance and strength. There are chapters like “A Closet of My Own,” “The Power of Honesty,” “I Need Spirituals” and “Words Matter.”
