Hood Wellness: Tales of Communal Care from People Who Drowned on Dry Land

by Tamela J. Gordon

What does self-care look like when struggling to make ends meet, living with a disability, or navigating intersectional marginalization? How can you prioritize well-being while divesting from systems built to destroy you? The Hood Wellness , a groundbreaking exploration that challenges the oppressive systems deeply rooted in health and wellness industries in the United States.

In a world where self-care is critical to survival, Gordon offers a revolutionary perspective that celebrates individuals' unique privileges, challenges, and desires. By defying the norms of multi-billion-dollar industries, Hood Wellness illuminates the possibilities that emerge when we prioritize well-being while divesting from harmful structures.

Hood Wellness is also a deep exploration of people forced to overcome harrowing circumstances with little more than communal support and the will to get well.

From terminal illness and police violence to embracing gender identity in a society that's attacking trans and queer rights, each story is a reflection of America's extreme political, racial, and gender climates. Gordon challenges everything we think we know about wellness by calling out the wellness industry's inability to include those outside the margins of white, heteronormative identities. She lays plain that self-care as we know it is mostly just surface-level "cute," and communal care is the call-to-action that America needs.

Drawing on elements of memoir, self-help, humor, critical race theory, and devastatingly honest storytelling, Gordon guides readers on a transformative journey toward a new paradigm of wellness.

Hood Wellness gets real about questions

What does sex look like for a 40-year-old baddie with dentures?

How can someone pursue adventure and self-care if they only have six months to live?

What happened to the young woman who filmed a Minnesota police officer killing Philando Castile, and what does self and communal care look like for her today?

How does the wellness industry plan on reconciling its perpetuation of fatphobia, racism, and ableism?

This compelling book serves as a beacon, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and self-love in today's world. As Gordon shares her personal odyssey, she intertwines the stories of others, revealing her profound discoveries, triumphs, and passions related to self-care.

Hood Wellness introduces readers to an inclusive and accessible self-care primer and an approach to well-being that holds the potential to bring about profound change in their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Mental Health, Social Justice, Essays, Self Help, African American

312 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Gabriella · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a hot mess, even though I enjoyed a good bit of it. It came across my Libby queue at a great time, given that I am dealing with a longer-than-expected disability following ACL reconstruction surgery. The resulting complications have altered much of my daily life, and I related to lots of the essays in this collection as a result.

I most enjoyed these essays when authors shared how they learned to be more patient and compassionate with their changing bodies, instead of simply wishing for “how we used to be.” One of the most difficult elements of wellness when you are in some way “unwell” (as most of us are or will be) is accepting the new normal, so we can begin to care for ourselves and others without self-loathing. The first section, in particular, goes into some of the harsh realities of this self-loathing, and how desirability in particular keeps visibly disabled people locked out of social connections and even care networks. There were some essays that veered from this initial topic to some random places, but that just seems to be the author’s style, in general.

The later sections of this collection become more and more scattered, unhinged, and just plainly off-topic. There are rabbitholes about racism in suburbia that seemed as close to “hood wellness” as I am. 🤦🏾‍♀️ In general, this book is really focused on individual solutions, with a few girls trips thrown in every now and again. This mostly tracks—a lot of people use the term “community” when they really mean their own personal cliques. However, it was a bit disappointing that the editors and publishers allowed this book to move forward with a framework that was just not fitting. I kept thinking, where is the (neighbor)hood element of wellness? Where are the reflections on how we can make supportive connections with people next door to us outside of consumption, dating, and friend groups? Unfortunately, that is just not what Tamela Gordon wanted to talk about!

I still think there are some things readers will enjoy in Hood Wellness. The essays include helpful reminders and reflections about needing to have patience with your changing levels of ability, and relatable stories about the fear of isolation that COVID has created for so many of us. At the same time, these stories continue to show what this collection is missing! Gordon talks about her harmful coping strategies during quarantine, and how she found it to be impossible to have the care networks we need without them being in-person. Unfortunately, she never fully talks through this, despite it being a real challenge for so many people I know (including me!) There are just a few asides about “being involved in your community” without ever delving into the title of her book.

So in summary, I wouldn’t recommend this one to others, though I didn’t find it to be a complete waste. While I didn’t learn anything new, there were some affirming reminders that I will keep in mind. Tamela Gordon frequently references the importance of crowdfunding so everyone can get the care they deserve. I particularly appreciated Gordon’s celebration of The Black Fairy Godmother Foundation, a group helping to stand in the gap for people in Newark. I did enjoy how the friendships and “friend trips” in this book were accommodating of peoples’ social and physical needs.

I think it’s fine that she just wanted to write a really messy book—everyone should have that right! However, I wish these navel-gazing books wouldn’t be *published* so regularly. I just read a piece on Medium called Butch Ability, and the author (Lee Cicuta) had more insightful thoughts on gender and disability in a single blog post than in this entire book. In my opinion, this is the problem: the people who need to be getting book deals are out there, but they are just not the ones with enough clout, I fear. Until then, I guess I will continue to make do with what’s out here!

[Booked.Shaye BWRT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thoroughly impressed. This book is a masterpiece that seamlessly weaves together Wellness & Realness.

From the very first page, I was drawn into every word. The author's vivid descriptions , Each chapter unfolds with a new revelation!! The author's insights are not only profound but also practical, offering actionable steps and exercises that genuinely help in achieving personal growth. Tamela Gordon is full of wisdom and encouragement, guiding readers through a journey of self-discovery and improvement.

What impressed me most is the book's ability to address a wide range of topics relevant to personal wellness, from setting meaningful goals to overcoming self-limiting beliefs. The writing style is engaging and motivating, & even funny !!

The author Tamela is literally the kindest , most generous , loving person ever. She spoke life into my Bookclub & I’ll forever be grateful for it.

[Patricia Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a remarkable book with depth and honesty that I didn’t know I was needing. I’m compelled to take a hard look at my life and praxis of community care and how I can better love myself and others well!! I’m grateful for the stories and transparency shared, and for this much needed gift to all of us searching for a better way forward in healing, community, and thriving— not merely surviving.

[Symone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read! I can't wait to receive my physical copy to re-read it and annotate.

[Zuri Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting, but I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Aleya Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

[JC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good flow of connecting lives and stories.

[Amber Grell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hood Wellness: Tales of Communal Care from People Who Drowned on Dry Land by Tamela J. Gordon is a collection of stories about Tamela’s journey with wellness as well as a few interjected stories from other writers who attended Casa de Tami.

This collection centers around the truth about Blackness and the importance of community care while diving into health in all forms: mental, emotional, and physical.

Gordon discusses both her struggles and her community struggles with such care, vulnerability, and strength, and wraps it with humor that will keep you laughing while crying. I cannot recommend this book enough and I strive to live in a world where we lean on communities and remember that wellness is an act of collective resistance.

[Betsy Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read. The author does a phenomenal job of diving into all the heavy topics. I love how she laces together eloquent sentences with humor and real talk. The book also has interjections from other authors that took part in her wellness Casa de Tami! Also her dedication is fire and much deserved.

[Lotus La Loba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hood Wellness is a book I will treasure for the rest of my life. I’ve been reading it slowly, sitting with each chapter, each memory, each offering. I think that’s what makes it so special—it doesn’t demand to be rushed. It asks to be felt.

This is the kind of wellness book I used to wish existed when I first entered the wellness space—one where our stories, our contradictions, our truth as Black women and femmes were actually centered. The way she weaves her personal experiences with those of others feels intimate, like you're being brought into sacred conversation.

There were moments that hit me hard. Her chapter on the "mammy" role made me pause. As someone who’s been an educator for over 15 years, across public, private, and home school settings—including with mostly white families—it struck a nerve. I’ve asked myself those same questions: Am I serving my people? Am I unintentionally repeating harm by how I use my gifts?

Then there was the conversation about chronic illness. I live with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, so her writing about the body, pain, and accessibility cracked something open in me. She named things I’ve felt for years. The way she wrote about her experience with losing teeth due to medical racism had me in tears. I’ve been there too. And as someone who writes and studies beauty from an ancestral lens, her honesty gave me so much to reflect on—especially as I build my own thesis.

This isn’t your typical “fix your life in five steps” wellness book. There’s no whitewashed perfection here. These stories are raw, complex, honest—and still deeply tender. They’re about community care, about grieving what wellness should have been, about reimagining what healing actually looks like when you don’t have generational wealth or easy access to resources.

And speaking of resources—she drops so many gems. I’m learning about new organizations like the Black Fairy Godmother Foundation, and I already know I’ll be using these connections to support my community. I just wish there was a master list of it all, so we could pour into them collectively.

The author's voice is brilliant, direct, and grounded. I felt like I was talking to one of my homegirls—one who sees me, who’s lived through similar struggles, and who reminds me that I’m not alone in navigating this. From code-switching and un-shifting to sexual liberation, financial instability, grief, ancestral resilience, and more—she touches it all.

As a Black woman, a wellness practitioner, and someone who’s read mostly books by Black women for the past decade, I can confidently say: this book belongs on everyone’s shelf. If you’ve ever wondered what’s missing in mainstream wellness, it’s this.

[Takara M Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Hood Wellness by Tamela J. Gordon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book. This book—was everything I didn’t know I needed.

Tamela J. Gordon doesn’t just talk about wellness; she reclaims it. From the very first pages, she speaks directly to the parts of us that are tired of being policed, shamed, or made to feel like we don’t belong in conversations about self-care unless we fit into a curated, Instagram-friendly mold. This is not that.

What I loved most was how deeply this book made me reflect on my own body, my relationship to it, and how much unlearning I’ve had to do as a Black woman. There’s real honesty here—about sexuality, addiction, shame, healing, and survival—but it never feels performative. It feels necessary. There’s beauty in that mess. There's power in that truth.

One thing that stuck with me was how Gordon invites us to show up without apology. She made me want to wear my natural hair more often—without wondering what it’s going to look like to others. She made me pause and sit with what it means to love myself as I am, not as I’m expected to be. She writes:

“My body wore self-destruction so well…”

That line? Whew. It hit like a memory.

Hood Wellness isn’t just about womanhood—it’s about Blackness, freedom, and care. Not the watered-down version of “self-care” we’ve been sold, but the kind that demands accountability, community, and softness. The kind that doesn’t require you to be polished to be worthy. The kind that says you don’t need to be “fixed,” just seen.

I appreciated the ways this book challenged me to consider wellness not as something individual and pristine, but as something messy, communal, and rooted in our history. It reminded me that healing isn’t always linear or pretty, and that’s okay. We’re still worthy of it.

If I had one critique, it's that sometimes I wanted her to stay with a thought just a little longer—some of the themes moved quickly. But that also mirrors life. Healing jumps around. It doesn't always land cleanly. And Tamela honors that.

If you're a Black woman, or anyone looking to feel seen in your full, unfiltered humanity, I recommend you pick this up. It’s radical in its softness. Unapologetic in its truth. And deeply necessary.

[Lalaa #ThisBlackGirlReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamela J. Gordon’s Hood Wellness is a powerful, heartfelt collection that unveils the layered struggles and resilience in Black communities, exploring how wellness often emerges from the bonds of communal care and shared survival. With unflinching honesty, Gordon uses narrative to bridge personal experience with collective healing, illuminating the strength that’s cultivated when people are willing to hold each other up in times of need.

In her words, “We ain’t ever had much, but somehow, we always had each other,” Gordon speaks to the necessity of community support amid systems that have historically overlooked the wellness of marginalized communities. Stories within Hood Wellness show how acts of kindness, ritual, and gathering fortify individuals against hardships—"not as charity, but as lifelines," she says, “because some of us learned to float only after being thrown into the deep.”

Gordon’s work is both reflective and urgent, calling readers to recognize wellness not just as an individual journey but as an act of collective resistance. Her book is a testament to the quiet, resilient love that keeps communities afloat, even when it feels like the world is ready to let them drown.

[Frenchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty of Hood Wellness is its unapologetic authenticity. Gordon speaks directly to the reader like your favorite cousin at a family cookout—telling it like it is, without ever losing the vibe of someone who deeply cares about your well-being. Her strategies for mental, emotional, and physical health don’t come from a mountaintop; they come from the block, from real life, where stress, survival, and joy are all part of the package.

In a world full of Instagram-perfect wellness routines, Gordon’s approach feels like a breath of fresh, sage-infused air. She doesn’t just teach wellness—she shows how to live it in the most real, humorous, and heartfelt way possible. You’ll laugh, reflect, and possibly rewire your entire way of thinking about what it means to thrive, right where you are.

So if you’re looking to glow up spiritually and emotionally while still keeping it 100, grab a copy of Hood Wellness. Because as Gordon will remind you, your peace is priceless—even in the middle of a city that never sleeps.

[LaKeisha W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book touched my soul!! So much so, I read parts two and three times and was kinda sad when I finished it. This book touched my soul in ways I never imagined. We met this author in my book club #BWRT and she is an absolute gem. Tamela’s raw and honest portrayal of life's challenges and triumphs resonated deeply with me. Each page felt like a journey of self-discovery and healing. The words leapt off the pages, wrapping me in a blanket of emotions that lingered long after I finished reading. 'Hood Wellness' is THAT BOOK. It not only captivates the mind but also nourishes the spirit. It is a must-read for anyone seeking solace, inspiration, and a deeper connection to the human experience.

[TaWanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept and sentiment of this book. The rawness and emotion was appreciated. The thoughtfulness in teaching (especially in Section 3) and explanation of historical issues as it relates to how we, people of color, process and heal was top notch. And I LOVED how the book was tailored for its audience - it isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. I now look at this as a “reference” book - a book you pick up and read certain passages when you need them to remind you “your not like them and it’s okay for your wellness and self-care to look different.”

My only gripe about the book is the organization/structure and wanting more definitive points to some of the essays.

And 👏🏾👏🏾 to the cover art illustrator…dope artwork!

[Angelina Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read on what wellness means to the BIPOC, cash-poor, feminist. What does self care look like when you don’t have access to housing and healthcare? And how do you feel like you deserve it when you’re struggling to make ends meet? From code-switching to HIV/AIDS, this is my read of the year. I feel incredibly lucky, incredibly sad, and quite proud to be a queer brown girl, to exist both inside and outside of my intersectionality, and to celebrate my community. Even cash-poor, I am rich in life, love, and happiness.

[Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dentures!!! A great reminder of the privilege white women have and how eat pray Love can't work for everyone. Really powerful and inspires empathy in ways that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to understand. The passages about dentures really got me, it's not something most people would understand. Losing your teeth would be really hard, but she's so honest and upfront about it. I really enjoyed this book!

[Rhema White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas were presented here, but at times the over-embellishment of the writing took away from that. I do wonder how a framework that advocates divesting from the commodification of self-care can truly separate itself from the capitalist society we live in? Gordon often talks about her money struggles and how fundraising was at the center of her wellness journey. I get what she was saying tho. A facial isn’t going to solve deeper problems lol.

[Kendra Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not the kind of book I expected but it sure was the book that I needed. I listened to it as an audiobook and within 4% I was already rewinding and highlighting. This is not your standard self help book. This book was actually relatable and actually helpful. I cried. I laughed. I clutched my pearls. And when I finished the book, I texted my people telling them that there was a book for us and that they needed to read it ASAP.

[Shannon Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hood Wellness oozes authenticity. I laughed and cried continuously. It’s one of the most accessible books I’ve read in years, so easy to get through I will need to read it again! Hood Wellness will help you love yourself-meaning true love for yourself, not the wellness industry BS capitalist kind of love. If you’re on a journey to self-love and true self-care, read this!

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more of a memoir than I expected, but I enjoyed the stories in which people cared for each other in contrast to the monetized version of "self-care" shoved down our throats. I hope to find a book with a more extensive look into how we as a community can keep each other safe, healthy, and happy outside of capitalist systems.

[Jenn Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the brutal honesty of this book. Tamela Gordon is a tactician and expert at the written word. There are moments here that feel so intimate and familiar. She reminds us that we are all human and imperfect. It is a must read for anyone seeking true stories about what it means to care for ourselves in a world that wants us dead.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on wellness I’ve ever read. Part memoir, part self help, all wisdom from exactly who should be centered in the conversation around self care. Wish I could be a guest at Casa De Tami!

[Phire Free · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading this book passionately. The experience offers a community of thoughtfulness, humor, and self expression.

In addition, I want to note that Tamela does an incredible job creating suspense and wonder as we learn more about Hood Wellness.

[Zully Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name of the book truly describes what this is about. It reads more like a memoir, with many different stories told that were not only interesting, but powerful and even hilarious at times. I related to a lot in the book and honestly inspired a sense of personal reflection.
Actual rating: 4.5

[Tameika Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This body of work was educational, and inspiring. Learning to create space to just be and be creative is necessary for the mind and body. Hood Wellness is that gentle reminder that it’s okay to be selfish from time to time, and setting boundaries is a must.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Tiana’s Lit Talk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book exceeded all expectations I had for it.

[Wendasha H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is, those who get it, get it!

[Shelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was really good. i would def read it again.