Ride-Or-Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women

A ride-or-die chick is a woman who holds down her family and community, but her trope becomes a problem when she does it indiscriminately. Shanita Hubbard's book "Ride or Die" disrupts the 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 is normalized in our culture. The book urges Black women to expel the myth that their self-worth is connected to how much labor they provide others and guides them toward healing.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: Hachette Books

A ride-or-die chick is a woman who is unwavering in her support of her family and community. She is the one you can rely on at any time of the night, even in the most dire circumstances, and you know she will come to your aid without hesitation. However, her loyalty can become problematic when she indiscriminately offers her support to everyone, regardless of the consequences to herself. She will go to great lengths for her family, friends, and significant other, even at the expense of her own well-being. The word "no" is not in her vocabulary, as she believes that her self-worth is tied to the amount of labor she can provide for others. She will exceed expectations in every aspect of her life, from her work to her family, church, and even in relationships where she may not receive the same level of reciprocation. For her, love should be earned, and she is willing to do anything to obtain it.

In her book, author, adjunct professor of sociology, and former therapist Shanita Hubbard challenges 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 this mentality is normalized in our culture, particularly in the realm of hip-hop music and in our most important relationships, which are with ourselves. Hubbard's book is compassionate, candid, hard-hitting, and 100 percent unapologetic, as she blends her entertaining conversations with her Black girlfriends with her personal experiences as a redeemed ride-or-die chick and a former captain of the build-a-brother team.

Through Ride or Die, Hubbard aims to dismantle cultural norms that require Black women to take care of everyone but themselves. She encourages readers to expel the myth that their self-worth is connected to the amount of labor they provide to others and to embark on a journey of healing. The book provides practical guidance.

Weight: 310g
Dimension: 148 x 217 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780306874673