American Negra

An amazing read that I highly recommend!

Natasha Alford is one of those people I've felt like I've known forever. I've been reading her work covering race and politics for years, and she's frequently on one of my screens highlighting Black excellence or calling our leaders to task. But you can never really know someone that way. But a no-holds-barred memoir? That sheds a lot of light.

I read an advanced digital copy of American Negra in a single weekend — that's a significant feat for me because I'm a fan of physical books. I imagine if I'd had one, I would have ended the weekend with paper cuts from turning the pages so fast.

They're stories that remind me of my own childhood (feeling outcast and othered) and stories that brought up unexpected emotion in me (if you're a daddy's girl, have your tissues ready). Her media career is inspiring and she generously tells of the steps she took to enter and succeed in an arena years after her peers began working in the field. And every now and then she makes you want to lace up your gym shoes and go fight for or with the young Natasha (we all need a support group for the Sell Out chapter).

I absolutely love literature that exposes me to new worlds and teaches me things I never knew. Conversely, I also enjoy seeing myself and my own experiences reflected on book pages. American Negra does both. Natasha Alford’s professional story is so inspiring to me, but it’s the deeply vulnerable and descriptive way that she tells her story of growing up as a bridge between two worlds that is most remarkable.

I could see myself in so many of her experiences, even though we grew up in completely different communities and in different parts of the country. Natasha isn’t solely descended from American chattel slavery. Nor is she "only" the daughter of an immigrant. And she isn’t anyone's outsider. She’s an American Negra. And, because of her story, I hope to learn of more experiences like hers.

Natasha S. Alford, a distinguished journalist and Vice President at TheGrio, takes readers on a journey through her own multiethnic upbringing in this thought-provoking memoir, "American Negra." Blending elements of personal reflection, cultural analysis, and a coming-of-age narrative, Alford addresses the complexities of identity, race, culture, gender, and class. As a Puerto Rican and African American woman who's been called "Negrita" my entire life, I enjoyed her reflections tremendously.

Alford's narrative unfolds in smart, vivid prose as she shares her experiences growing up in a working-class family in Syracuse, NY, where she grapples with the challenges of being the daughter of an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother. The author's introspective exploration of her heritage in Upstate New York sheds light on society's flawed teachings about identity, capturing the nuances of being multiethnic in a community that often oversimplifies these matters.

One of the standout aspects of "American Negra" is Alford's candid reflection on her visit to Puerto Rico, where she confronts feelings of shame for not speaking Spanish fluently (many of us have been there!). The author delves into her encounters with cultural expectations, navigating African-American hair salons and internalizing conflicting standards of beauty. These moments provide readers with a glimpse into the complexities of identity formation in a society that often imposes rigid definitions. Racial identity development is the core of this memoir and handled with so much grace.

The story takes a sharp turn as Alford transitions from an underfunded public school system to Harvard University, grappling not only with her ethnic identity but also with imposter syndrome, a shocking medical diagnosis, and a quest to define success on her own terms. The inclusion of a study abroad trip to the Dominican Republic adds depth to her exploration of Afro-Latinidad, shaping her evolving understanding of her Latin roots.

For readers with connections to the Bronx, where the author's mother hails from, the narrative takes on an added layer of pride in community. Alford's shared Black and Puerto Rican heritage creates a sense of kinship, making the reading experience more profound and relatable. The inclusion of her parents' love story, rooted in the Bronx, adds a touching and personal dimension to the memoir.

"American Negra" is a captivating exploration of self-discovery and raw authenticity. Natasha S. Alford's memoir is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about racial identity for Black Americans, offering readers a deeply personal perspective on what it means to be Negra in the United States.