E-book: Bein' a Strong Black Woman Can Get You Killed - Laini Mataka

(E-book) Bein' a Strong Black Woman Can Get U Killed is Laini Mataka's third collection of poetry published by Black Classic Press. The title is a lament for the strong Black woman "who carried the family in her belly, the community on her head, and the race on her back." 

Some readers might already be familiar with the title poem, which was hijacked from a website on which Laini and other poets shared their work with connected "listeners." One "listener" liked the poem so much, she sent it across the Internet signed with her name instead of Laini's. This poem still shows up attached to emails, most often without the original thief's name, instead signed "anonymous." 

Respectfully called the queen, Laini is anything but anonymous. Rooted in Baltimore, she now lives and works in Washington D.C. Using print and spoken word, she shares the recipe for good Black thinking and doing. 

In Bein' a Strong Black Woman, Laini indelibly X's her name to the title poem and the entire collection. It's a magical collection. Slashing and critical. Yet at the same time, it's full of love and insight, and the nourishing stuff that's meant to keep us STRONG and ALIVE. 2000. 112 pgs. Paperback

Listen to a sample of this book on movementunes.com

Bein' a Strong Black Woman is also available as a kindle e-book for $5.95.