A Brown Girl's Epiphany

July 18, 2022
Pastor Pratt’s disappointing debut advocates for inner healing through the exploration of one’s mind and soul. She encourages readers to adopt healthier mindsets and resist white supremacy by looking inward and embracing the “Spirit of God” that “dwells within each one of us.” The author recounts how the racism she endured as a Chicana and Filipina woman growing up in Louisiana sapped her self-esteem, such as when her elementary school teacher asked her “What are you?” and when her white boyfriend’s parents said they only approved of her relationship with their son “because she isn’t Black.” Pratt warns against the dangers of productivity culture and hierarchical thinking, and urges readers to instead embody one’s “child self” and the “divine feminine,” though it remains hazy what doing so entails. More concretely, she cautions that a scarcity mindset can make one selfish and recommends that readers dream big, even when it seems impractical. Pratt’s autobiographical anecdotes underscore the painful toll that patriarchy and white supremacy have taken on her. However, the religious element of her advice goes largely underdeveloped and gets tacked on to such trite recommendations as “Claiming our God-given inner authority requires listening to and trusting ourselves.” This has its moments, but it doesn’t quite come together.