Black Girl Irl: Life Between the Mess and the Magic - Paperback

by Gail Hamilton Azodo (Author)

Ebony Get Lit! March 2024 Pick

Whatever happened to the regular Black girl?
The one who works a nine-to-five or maybe owns her own business or is completing her master's. Or how about the one figuring out how to be a good mom or wife or daughter? Or the one that's doing all the above?
Hi, that's a lot of us. Black women are doing it all, and it's not just the Oprahs and Beyoncés. There's an entire group of us that are just, well, regular. We're handling things, like determining if we should speak up in that work meeting and risk becoming the "voice" for all Black women, or considering whether tonight is the night to introduce our silk hair bonnet in the relationship that is just getting serious. These decisions range from impactful to trivial, but they shape who we are.
So where is our place for this type of girl talk and unfiltered sharing? Gail Hamilton Azodo is your thirtysomething corporate ladder climber turned entrepreneur, mom, wife, and Black Girl IRL. In her dinners, happy hours, and group texts with Black women, they shared everything from motivational quotes to the latest in Black girl advice. Whether it's how to cut ties with friends who no longer align with our purpose or how to talk about money and embrace Black women's wealth, Gail is here to share these authentic stories of everyday Black women--with a fair number of frills.

Author Biography

Gail Hamilton Azodo is a writer, professor, entrepreneur, mom, wife, and Black Girl in Real Life. With over three decades of life as a Black woman, Gail has spent the last couple of years writing her story to record the experiences of everyday Black women. When she's not writing, she is a professor at the Chapman School of Hospitality and Honors College at Florida International University and the co-owner of Sips Coffee Roasters. A proud Miami native, Gail enjoys BBQing with her family in front of her pool she's never been in and drinking margaritas and old fashioneds with her girlfriends in her free time.