Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women by Shanita Hubbard

March 2023 Book Selection

A "ride-or-die chick" is a woman who holds down her family and community. She's your girl that you can call up in the middle of the night to bail you out of jail, and you know she'll show up and won't ask any questions. Her ride-or-die trope becomes a problem when she does it indiscriminately. She does anything for her family, friends, and significant other, even at the cost of her own well-being. "No" is not in her vocabulary. Her self-worth is connected to how much labor she can provide for others. She goes above and beyond for everyone in every aspect of her life--work, family, church, even if it's not reciprocated, and doesn't require it to be because she's a "strong Black woman" and everyone's favorite ride-or-die chick. To her, love should be earned, and there's no limit to what she'll do for it. In this book, author, adjunct professor of sociology, and former therapist Shanita Hubbard disrupts the ride-or-die complex and argues that this way of life has left Black women exhausted, overworked, overlooked, and feeling depleted. She suggests that Black women are susceptible to this mentality because it's normalized in our culture. It rings loud in your favorite hip-hop songs, and it even shows up in the most important relationship you will ever have--the one with yourself.