Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way

by Khristi Lauren Adams

Black girls are leading, organizing, advocating, and creating. They are starting nonprofits. Building political coalitions. Promoting diverse literature. Fighting cancer. Improving water quality. Working to prevent gun violence. Are we ready to learn from their leadership? "Black women are literally at the helm of every movement," says Tyah-Amoy Roberts, an activist and a survivor of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. "Every push for social justice. Every push for social change. We need to take our stories into our own hands." In Unbossed, they do. From Khristi Lauren Adams, author of the celebrated Parable of the Brown Girl , comes Unbossed , a hopeful and riveting inquiry into the lives of eight young Black women who are agitating for change and imagining a better world. Offering practical lessons in leadership, resilience, empathy, and tenacity from a group of young leaders of color who are often neglected, Unbossed includes profiles of Jaychele Nicole Schenck, Ssanyu Lukoma, Tyah-Amoy Roberts, Grace Callwood, Hannah Lucas, Amara Ifeji, Stephanie Younger, and Kynnedy Smith. These are the young Black women we will be reading about decades from now. Like their foremothers in earlier freedom movements, Black girls are transformational leaders. They are pacesetters, strategic thinkers, visionaries, mobilizers, activists, and more. Their stories may often be overlooked. But Black girls are leading the way.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2022

About the author

Khristi Adams is a Speaker, Author and Advocate. Khristi is an ordained Minister with American Baptist Churches USA. She is the Firestone Endowment Chaplain and instructor of religious studies and philosophy at the Hill School in Pottstown, PA. She also works as co-director of Diversity at the Hill School. Previously she worked as Interim Protestant Chaplain at Georgetown University Law Center & Georgetown University, Associate Campus Pastor for Preaching & Spiritual Programming at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California and former Director of Youth Ministries at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, NJ. Khristi is passionate about youth advocacy and is committed to work that affirms the wholeness and self-worth of black girls and women. Khristi is also the Founder & Director of “The Becoming Conference,” that began summer of 2017 (iambecoming.net). The Becoming Conference is an annual conference designed to empower, educate & inspire girls between the ages of 13-18. Khristi is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in Advertising and a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary where she obtained a Master of Divinity degree.

Reviews

[Donna Olivia]

Adams’ book “Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way” took my breath away. She had me at the introduction, “Though often overlooked, Black girls have always played important roles in social movements in the fight for a better and more equal world.” Adams reiterated what I’ve known since the playground of Lincoln Elementary School: Black girls are leaders. She kept me with the stories of Ssanyu, Grace, Kennedy and the five other inspiring Black girls featured in the book. More than the stories of what they have done and are doing, Adams breaks down their leadership methods as models for leaders of all ages. Although written for adults, I am excited to share “Unbossed” with the budding leaders that we are raising to show them what’s possible because Black girls, just like them, are leading the way.

Connecting with Khristi has been a blessing to me. She is an author and advocate. She has a heart for Black girls. She walks the talk; Her words live, move, and have being beyond the page. Khristi is also a Baptist minister. Her love for God, her faith, and her expansive understanding of justice is evident in her work. You, too, will be blessed by “Unbossed!” Get your copies (one for you and several for leaders and budding leaders in your life) in early March!

[Shernell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, and it is incredibly unique in that it combines the journey of eight black young ladies as they change the world and dissects/apply leadership methodologies to what they were doing. That was the best part of the book because it showed leadership in action, even on the higher academia side. The notes gave outstanding support to Adams’ thesis, which is black girls have been doing the work to empower their communities despite all the misogynoir, hatred and obstacles put in their way. All the young ladies are exceptional, and I learned how to be a better leader in my own community. This is a terrific book for mothers, daughters, aunts, etc. To read and become inspired by. Thank you @khristiadams and @broadleafbooks for giving me the opportunity to review this outstanding book.

[Hannah Bergstrom de Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can barely go a day without hearing someone say, if only the news reported the good things that are happening in our world. I have been guilty of it myself but I have learned through the years that though it takes a bit of digging out of the mainline media outlets, you can find people excavating and sharing the stories of the incredible humans and their incredible work in a broken world.

Khristi Lauren Adams, in her book “Unbossed: How Black Girls are Leading the Way,” shines the spotlight on eight young black women and the leadership they are inhabiting to effect real and sustainable change right now. Adams offers the reader not only a window and insight to the lives of these young women, but she offers portraits of their leadership styles both from historical figures as well as contemporary leadership scholarship. “Unbossed” provides sparks of hope for the present and future while allowing all of us to acknowledge we have something to learn from these girls, not simply to admire them.

There is a technicality to Adams’ writing that didn’t fully draw me in as a reader, but I also think that style would serve many younger readers extremely well offering clear and concise language in which to test themselves and their own ways of being leaders in the world. I find that a more metaphorical and poetical writing style tends to resonate more deeply with me as a reader. Regardless of style preferences, Adams’ work is the voice of “good news” many are longing for and I would encourage anyone who has found themselves saying such words to pick this book up and hear the incredible news of young women changing this world, right now.

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[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading The Way by Khristi Lauren Adams is a gem! 🤎

I love learning about extraordinary Black girls defying the odds and doing exceptional things. 🤸🏾‍♀️

📚 This book spotlights 8 Black girls who are leading the way through activism in the areas of literature, music, art, mental health, gun violence, feminism, and environmental justice.

When we talk about Black Girl Magic, it can be easy to overlook the vulnerabilities that make us human. The vulnerabilities that, for many of us, inform our life’s work. They are often hidden underneath the cloak of the “Strong Black Woman” trope that is bestowed upon everyone who identifies as Black and female.

This book does a beautiful job at dismantling the idea that remarkable Black girls are superhuman by making space for the “not-so-feel-good” things that they have had to overcome to turn lemons into lemonade.

Some of my favorite quotes are below. Please grab a copy for yourself and for a Black girl that you love. 🤎

“If I focus on my authentic self, then stuff will happen.” Tyah-Amoy Roberts

“We can remain where we are in love, while holding the people, places, and things we love accountable.” -Amara Ifeji

“Black women and girls need each other because we are crucial for our own survival.”
-Khristi Lauren Adams

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Khristi Lauren Adams has done it again! I received a complimentary copy of her latest book "Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way" last month. It begins by acknowledging what every Black girl has experienced at some point in their lives -- the surprise others feel when we express ourselves eloquently and confidently, when we show up as leaders, no matter our age. This surprise continues to this day, despite the fact that Black girls and women have BEEN leaders, from the days of forced enslavement through now.

In this book, Khristi not only discusses this surprise, but she also introduces the world to eight young, Black girls of the 21st century who are doing big things in the spaces of activism, mental health, and literacy, to name a few. Each chapter is dedicated to one of these young women, telling their stories of how they're helping improve their communities and the world at large. Besides that, Khristi goes into the types of leadership each girl embodies, from transformational leadership to visionary leadership to servant leadership, and more. She also includes leadership wisdom from each of them.

Perfect for book clubs, classroom instruction, and reading on your own, "Unbossed" is a must-have for everyone's personal library! Bonus: There's also a middle school version.

[Kalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a profile of 8 young black women who are making a difference in the world and their local communities. What sets this book apart from other biographies or profiles is that the author, Khristi Adams, also provides a detailed analysis of how these young women all have unique leadership styles that help them lead. The author also connects the young women profiled here to historical black women, both well known and less so.

The structure of this book makes it easy for all ages to read, but there is also a middle school version available for younger readers. The way the author weaves a narrative of these young women and connects them to history is quite moving.

It would be easy to assume to this book is not a worthwhile read for everyone, and that is absolutely not the case. First and foremost, this book shows young black women and girls that they can do anything, and in fact are already doing amazing things to make the world a better place. Secondly though, this book shows the rest of the world that young black women are powerful and should be taken more seriously. Those profiled in the book have already accomplished so much and still have so much potential to do so much more.

This is a must read for all.

[Kate Schwarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This young adult book is about leadership, what types of leaders exist in the world, and provides an example for each type of leadership. And here's what makes this book special and worthy of every middle school library: a Black girl, most teenagers, a few examples of girls younger, of this type of leader, and how they found a need in their world and worked to fill it. Some of this process involved a tragedy or mental health crisis, but not every story. A great gift, and a great book to have within reach of all teens.

[Jason Chesnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Girls Unbossed, its title a nod to Shirley Chisholm, brings together compelling stories of the next generation of Black women leaders - eight young women who, in many ways, are descendants of the trailblazing educator and politician. Khristi Adams tells their stories with care and intention, while still placing them within the broader context of living as BIPOC people in our precarious world of school shootings, extrajudicial killings, the climate crisis, and beyond. This book, its author, and the eight leaders profiled within are gifts. I highly recommend this book.

[Ekemini B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Khristi Lauren Adams is doing the revolutionary work of documenting the work and impact of young Black girls. This book is a bridge that connects the legacy of Black women trailblazers of the past to the young Black girls blazing their own trails today. Reading the testimonies of these brilliant Black girls, one can only conclude that the kids are alright.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book with focus on young black girl leaders. I enjoyed the interview-like and documentary-like aspects of each story. Khristi Adams includes her Christian faith into the conversation (and most, if not all, the young leaders are also Christian). Adams interweaves some of her commentary into each story, which I understand but felt that it starts to pull away from the girls' stories.

[MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I can’t wait to share this book with the young Black girls in my life. A powerful and inspiring read for this generation on leaders.

[Kris Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. I highly recommend for all educators and advocates of African American girls. Read it solo or with your girls. Also, checkout the version for middle age girls.

[PottWab Regional Library]

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[Jessica Kantrowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbossed: How Black Girls are Leading the Way is a powerful love letter to Black girls and women. This is Khristi Lauren Adams' second book, and was actually released in an adult version (which I read) and a middle-grade version. Through short biographies of eight young women, Adams highlights the work they are doing and analyses the different leadership styles that each one embodies. I loved reading these stories, but I also found myself challenged to ask how I could be better using my own gifts and leadership style to serve my community and my world. In that sense these girls became role models for me, even though they are two generations younger.

In the introduction, Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes sums up the power of these stories: "These are ordinary girls who reach for the extraordinary--and who inspire the rest of us to do likewise." Highly recommend to anyone who has Black girls or women in their lives, and also to those who don't and may therefore need to hear these stories even more.