My Grandmother's Hands

Resmaa Menakem’s My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies is a heavy read, but well worth the inner turmoil. It unpacks how trauma rooted in racism lives in the body and epigenetically flows down the family line. Menakem introduces the concept of “white body supremacy” as a systemic force perpetuated by historical and collective trauma, uncovering how these traumas manifest differently in Black, white, and police bodies, shaping behaviors, relationships, and societal structures. By the time you've read halfway, you'll have a good handle on how healing racialized trauma is not just a cognitive process but a somatic undertaking; one that requires working through sensations and experiences stored in the body over time.

Menakem emphasizes the importance of these somatic practices—body-based exercises—to address this trauma. He outlines strategies to develop a resilient body capable of processing stress and discomfort without shutting down or becoming reactive. You'll find breathing techniques, grounding exercises, and mindful movement, which help individuals reconnect with their bodies and calm their nervous systems.

I really want to stress that this is a stressful book. But if you're new to body-based practices and have the spoon for it, you'll learn not just how to use these practices for personal well-being, but also for building healthier communities and dismantling systemic oppression.

For autists, My Grandmother’s Hands offers unique benefits by providing a framework for tuning into bodily sensations and understanding the body’s stress responses. Many of us deal with heightened sensitivity to sensory input and struggle with regulating their nervous systems, making the book’s somatic practices especially relevant. Grounding exercises and mindful breathing can help to better manage overstimulation and anxiety. Plus, its emphasis on self-compassion and building resilience are crucial to navigating a world that often fails to understand or accommodate neurodivergence as a whole. Menakem’s holistic approach to healing is an opportunity embrace our bodies as sources of wisdom and strength while fostering deeper self-awareness and community connection.