Risking Joy with Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts

From Armor to Ease

In this episode, Chichi Agorom interviews Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts, author of the NAACP award-winning book "Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration." They discuss:

1. Healing, identity, and Black joy.
2. Tracey’s shift from performing for love to realizing that she is enough.
3. The fear of losing your armor and part of your identity
4. Tracey’s definition of Black joy

About Tracey:
As a writer and thought-leader, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts offers those who read her work and hear her speak an authentic experience; an opportunity to explore the intersection of culture, identity and faith/spirituality at the deepest levels. She is the host of the podcast, HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae’l, and founder of HeARTspace, a healing community created to serve those who have experienced trauma of any kind through the use of storytelling and the arts.

As a writer, Tracey has published 20 books including several collaborations with numerous high-profile authors. Calling herself a “literary midwife,” Tracey is a highly sought-after collaborator whose work includes the New York Times bestselling book, Feeding the Soul by Tabitha Brown, Better Not Bitter by Yusef Salaam, The Other Side of Yet by Michelle Hord, and many others.

In 2021, Tracey became one of 20 writers who contributed to the groundbreaking book, You are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience edited by acclaimed researcher, Brene Brown, and founder of the MeToo Movement, Tarana Burke. In 2022, she published her critically-acclaimed book, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration (Gallery/Simon and Schuster) which won a 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional. Black Joy has received rave reviews from celebrities like Kerry Washington, Kiese Laymon and Deesha Philyaw, and media outlets like Good Morning America, Essence Magazine, and USA Today. Her latest book is Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence (WJK Press).

Tracey has spoken on a number of platforms around the country on topics related to race/social justice, healing, and faith/spirituality. Additionally, her freelance work has been published in print and online publications such as Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, The Chronicle for Higher Education, Ebony Magazine, TheRoot.com, and more.
You can find Tracey at www.traceymlewis.com Also at IG: @tmlgwriter, Twitter: @tmlewis, and Substack: thehealingplace.substack.com

Have a question or just want to share your response to this episode? Text Chichi or leave a voicemail at [phone].
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Music by Ashot-Danielyan-Composer from Pixabay