As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age [Paperback]

Julian C.R. Okwu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

Calling on lessons learned from their mothers, sisters, and friends, the 36 women of As I Am speak candidly about what it means to be a young African American woman. All between 18 and 35 years old, each has a powerful story to tell and presents herself to the world matter-of-factly, with no apology, and with a powerful sense of who she is. Photographer Julian Okwu pairs each of his gorgeous duotone portraits with a frank and compelling interview. From motherhood to building a career to coping with the challenges of illness, racism, and sexism, the women in As I Am relate their views and experiences, revealing unerring strength and an admirable openness to what life has to offer. In equal parts moving, humorous, and heartening, As I Am is a celebration of the successes and potential of young black women today.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As I Am is Julian C.R. Okwu's companion book to Face Forward (which focused on young African American males "in a critical age"). For As I Am, Okwu selected and interviewed 36 women with vastly different experiences and backgrounds to illustrate the complexity of black women's experiences in America. The civil rights era has come and gone, but battles are still being waged. From the superintendent at a construction company who has to deal with snide sexist remarks to the veterinarian who is warned by a dog's owner, "I don't know how she is with black people," struggles for equality in the workplace, on university campuses, and throughout our culture continue. Although hardships and obstacles are shared, As I Am reflects the courage and strength of some inspiring and motivating women. Young women in their late teens to early 30s reflect on what it means to be, just to pick some examples, a mixed-race writer, a cancer survivor, a missionary, a doctor, an engineer, or a classical pianist; introspective examinations of the soul reveal how these women triumph in their day-to-day racist and sexist encounters. The intimate chapters and gorgeous duotone photographs of As I Am may leave readers anxiously waiting for one of these spirited women to pen her autobiography. --Atiya Taylor

Review

Reviews from:

EMERGE

Black America's Newsmagazine
by Rhonda Stewart, books editor
They are mothers, teachers, lawyers and artists. Some, like activist Rebecca Walker and novelist Danny Senna, are well-known. Others wage their everyday struggles far from the spotlight. They are the thirty-six remarkable women that photographer Julian C.R. Okwu profiles in As I Am: Young African-American Women in a Critical Age. This illuminating collection deserves a place on bookshelves alongside his previous book, Face Forward: Young African-American Women in a Critical Age. More than a combination of portraits and interviews, the result is a "a forum for the erudition, completely, diversity, pain, and passion of young African-American women."

Each women's story adds an invaluable piece to this rich mosaic. Okwu travels across the country and selects a broad range of women ages 18 to 35. Beyond gender and racial background, their inspiring ability to overcome obstacles with confidence, resilience and spirit connects them. Though there are common themes, like self-acceptance, biracial identity and battling racism, each subject's individuality resonates.

As I Am tells many stories, including Meri Danquah's battle with depression, Lanette Jimerson's fight to keep drug addiction from tearing her family apart and the lessons Maria Armstrong learns through community service. All of the women profiled subscribe to some version of television executive Kathryn Busby's philosophy: "I was born to enjoy this life in every possible way and I have always known this world was mine to take an that I could do anything, go anywhere and try anything. When those possibilities run out, I need to come up with more."

As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age, an innovative collection of profiles and black-and-white photographs that reveal the trials and triumphs of being a young Black woman in America, by Julian C.R. Okwu. From writer Danzy Senna to TV correspondent Farai Chideya and professor Duchess Harris, the author interviews thirty-six dynamic Sisters who share their coming-of-age stories, personal struggles and successes.

by Christina Eng
Julian Okwu knows what people in this country often think, and say, about black men. He knows what the stereotypes are. And he knows they're deceptive.

When the San Francisco writer and photographer put together his first book two years ago, he wanted to dispel the myths.

"There was an abundance of negative statistics affixed to African-American men 'ages 18 to 32,'" Okwu recalls in a recent interview, "You hear about men 'ages 18 to 32' in jail, men 'ages 18-32' uneducated or unemployed... There were so many statistics. What I wanted to do was take that negative statistic and turn it on its edge."

The result: Face Forward: Young African American Men in a Critical Age.

An impressive collection of first-person narratives and black-and-white portraits, it features 39 men "ages 18 to 32" from a cross-section of the United States—men who are ambitious, smart and straightforward; men who are bankers, activists and doctors.

Now, Okwu shines the spotlight on thirty-six remarkable women from various walks of life. His second release: "As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age."

Published in June, it follows a similar format, combining compelling discussions with equally evocative pictures. It showcases people in their 20s and 30s from the Bay Area and across the United States who have a range of experiences.

"I wanted to address the relative invisibility of young African-American women," says Okwu, who graduated from Dartmouth College. "You see information on older iconic African-American women, the Maya Angelous and the Toni Morrisons.

"But where are the younger African-American women? I didn't want to see them only in the entertainment field or in sports. I wanted to see them doing everyday things."

The book allows women to define themselves, Okwu says. The phrase "as I am," which one of his interview subjects coined, "speaks to the heart of what the project is about."

Okwu doesn't mean for any of it to be confrontational, however, just educational. "I wanted people to be introduced to young African Americans," he says.

"If you don't know them, if you are one of them or you want to be inspired, or learn more about identity in general, what better way is there to do that than to hear them speak honestly, in their own voice?"

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811820734
• ISBN-13: 978-0811820738
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,271,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring for all, not just African-American women., September 2, 2001

By 

Christopher W. Chase "Christopher W. Chase" (East Lansing, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. Okwa focuses on the narratives of young African-American women who have taken their passion to heart and made successful careers and important contributions to society. A highlight of this text is that it not only has amazing photographs anchoring these women within the contexts they work and live in, but also highlights their struggles, especially academic and personal, along the way.

This book is also helpful for people agonizing over career choices. For every person who has wanted to major in Women's Studies or History but wondered what to do with it--here are examples of powerful people who take the study of the humanities and arts to exciting new places, from television producing, to free-lance photography, to well-respected academia.

This book also has a companion one---"Face Forward." This other volume examines African-American men, who, as a whole, are also facing a critical time in American society.

Get both---buy Both, and draw strength and power from those who have struggled before you. Okwa is a master photographer and lets the compelling narratives of these women shine. We all should do the same.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mini-biographies of amazing young Black women, November 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age (Paperback)

I finally have found a book that is true to life and modern concerning the plight and challenges of young Black women. It is a truly magnificent collection. The women with the pages fulfill the purpose of motivating and inspiring others. Each women in this book is an example of hope. As I was reading the book, I was emotionally struck by the uniqueness of their lives yet many other women, I know, can relate to their experiences.

Okwu seems to have the gift of finding beautiful people with outstanding lives. The photo shots were magnificent and added a particularly captivating life to the words.

Thanks again for a true to life teaching book of amazing stories. One may use their examples of coping and harvesting energy for development of their own positive future. Truly a gift to have to read or give to someone who you love.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting, motivatin, informative, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age (Paperback)

This book is worth the paper it is written on, the photographs are beautiful, the words are rich, and the stories offer various views of what its like to be a young black woman in the 90's. If you have a few hours to expand your mind, then this book will assist you.