Know My Name

I heard the audiobook. Chanel's story read in her own words. Her voice breaking in places where she struggled to maintain composure. I felt sad, angry, violent. I admired her strength and self-awareness in the face of a society that stripped her of her privacy, her dignity and even tried to strip her of her words. What I didn't feel at any point of reading this book somehow, to my surprise, was helplessness. Even when I was bawling, my t-shirt soaked with my tears and mucus, I drew strength from her words. Because words are powerful and Chanel's story moves you, not only because of its dark, poignant nature but also because her writing is spectacular.

Read this book, even if it triggers you. Know her name, because she's so many of us.