Hood Feminism, written by Mikki Kendall, is a powerful collection of essays that draws from her lived experience as a Black woman growing up in Chicago, Illinois. Through a personal invitation, Kendall explores the intersections of race, gender, and class, shedding light on how mainstream feminism often fails to address the everyday realities faced by marginalized communities. She writes candidly about issues such as gun violence, sexual violations, nutrition, healthcare disparities, family dynamics, education, eating disorders, and of course the Notes From a Woman That a Movement Forgot. 

What makes Kendall’s approach to writing so fascinating is her consistent emphasis on the personal as political. In nearly every chapter, she introduces a personal narrative—not to center herself, but to show the reader that her experiences are not isolated. She makes it clear that if she is experiencing some sort of inequality, so are others in her community, people who look like her, and women who have a similar identity.

Kendall allows for the showing of how individual experiences are deeply connected to broader systemic issues. By grounding her arguments in lived experience, she reveals how structures of oppression operate not just at a societal level, but in the intimate, everyday realities of many marginalized lives.

Kendall’s illustrations also do an excellent job of prompting readers to reflect on history, pop culture, and prevailing beauty standards. Once again, Kendall’s ability to blend the vulnerable, the political, and sharp cultural critique shines immensely. Particularly when she recounts the ways in which society selectively chooses who is worthy of protection, dignity, and justice. 

Featured Image: Markus Winkler on Unsplash