Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl

“Amena Brown has always been a wordsmith, but in this latest book she releases her comedic charm in ways that make you feel like you’re giggling with your best friend. If you enjoy the writings of Samantha Irby and Phoebe Robinson, prepare to sign up for your next fanclub membership for Amena Brown.”
—Austin Channing Brown, New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here

“This book is an ode to being a Black girl. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud or took a long exhale while reading and said, “Yes. Same!” Filled with presence and humor, the book creates that rare, yet necessary space for being seen in a true way. Each chapter feels like you’re in one of those conversations with a friend you did not realize you needed as much as you did, in a world that meets you right where you are.”
—Morgan Harper Nichols, artist and national bestselling author of All Along You Were Blooming

“It is a rare thing to find someone who is witty as hell and fiercely able to speak the truth in all its complexity, but that is Amena Brown— not only one of my favorite authors, but one of my favorite humans. Hilarious, sharp, vulnerable, real—all words to describe this book and her presence in the world. Full of sacred stories, powerful moments of connection, and vulnerable poetry that reminds Black women to passionately claim who they are, this book is a balm and a teacher, and I hope when you read it you let its wisdom reach you, teach you, and change you forever.”
—Kaitlin B Curtice, Potawatomi author of Native and director of the Aki Institute

“Do not correct her. Publicly. Do not touch her hair. Especially without asking. Do not try to define her. She’s too complex. Do not explain her to herself. This book is a love letter to Black girls who are tired of being instructed instead of understood. It honors our complexity, our stories, and the right to be different and the same all at the same time. Through lived experience and cultural reflection, this book unpacks identity and freedom in a world that once placed us in chains, then in boxes. It invites Black girls to release expectations, reclaim our own voices, own our gravitas, and define ourselves on our own terms, without apology. It reminds us to Never Tell a Black Girl, How to Black Girl, because…we got this! Girl, please.”
—Tarriona “Tank” Ball, Grammy-winning recording artist, poet, and author of Vulnerable AF

“The touching and hilarious essays in Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl beautifully explore shared cultural experiences and the various ways one can ‘Black girl’ — yes, that’s a verb. Amena Brown’s collection is essential reading for everyone, but especially for the Black girls who contain multitudes and are looking for themselves in relatable, heartwarming writing.” —Char Adams, journalist and author of Indie Next pick Black-Owned

“Beautiful. Brilliant. Unapologetically Black. Amena writes Black girlhood and womanhood with humor, tenderness, and truth; this book is a love letter and a roadmap all at once. This is the big-sister-hug of a guide I personally wish I’d had sooner for navigating the beauty, complexity, and wonder of becoming.”
—Arielle Estoria, poet, actor, and author of The Unfolding

“A rich lover letter to Black women and their multitudes.”
—Kirkus, starred review

“Readers of Brown’s generation will feel like they’re hearing from an old friend.”
—Library Journal