In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.
This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.
As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.
Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.
#browngirlbookreviews🤎
“Finding me” by Viola Davis was a heart-wrenching read that moved me to tears several times🥹; and choosing the audiobook version was the best decision I ever made! Viola’s self-narrated memoir was such a deeply personal experience ✨. It made me feel as though she and I were two friends sharing life’s moments
The story starts at the beginning of Viola’s childhood. She’s a young girl living on a plantation with her grandparents, parents, and five siblings. Viola’s grandparents were impoverished, uneducated sharecroppers, and as a result, so were her parents. Two parents with very little life skills between them set the stage for an upbringing beset by poverty, dysfunction, and jaw-dropping trauma. The most heart-wrenching moments of her story comes from scenes steeped in racism and oppression – highlighting the deeply rooted generational impacts of systemic racism.
“There is an emotional abandonment that comes with poverty and being Black. The weight of generational trauma and having to fight for your basic needs doesn’t leave room for anything else. You just believe you’re the leftovers.” – Viola Davis
Most of Viola’s childhood is spent in the largely white community of Central Falls, Rhode Island. Her memories of Central Falls are marred by unyielding bullying for being “black and poor.” Her family’s housing in Central Falls consisted of dilapidated, condemned buildings infested with rats and no working utilities. Food was scarce, personal hygiene was a luxury they could seldom afford, and their safety was often at risk. To add to her trauma, Viola’s father was an abusive alcoholic who would beat her mama within inches of her life with viola and her siblings bearing witness.
Many of the same challenges Viola faced in childhood follows her into young adulthood, playing a significant role in her tumultuous climb to fame. As an adult living on her own, Viola is still plagued by starvation and horrible living in conditions. She grapples with poverty and familial instability – burdens passed down through generations. It’s a firsthand look at the insidious nature of systemic racism and prejudice; and how these forces are strategically implemented to impact lives.
Viola addresses the racism and misogyny she’s encountered along her theatrical journey.
“The acting world’s shortcomings: Womanhood is defined by how ‘classically’ pretty you are…how close to white you are.”
Colorism is a significant theme in this biography, and addressing colorism is crucial in our journey towards equality for everyone. Viola shares her intimate experiences with colorism. She tells of how her mama was forced to drop out of school due to relentless abuse for being “darker skinned, back-woods country, with nappy hair.” Bearing the same resemblances as her mama, Viola also experience many of the same disparities. I greatly appreciated Viola’s efforts to highlight colorism as part of the ongoing struggle for equality.
The book captivated me from the very start. Being an African American woman myself, Viola’s story evoked a mix of emotions within me. It was a poignant reminder of the pride and pains associated with our collective history and our present reality. Finding Me by Viola Davis masterfully illustrates the harsh realities of the systemic and generational challenges that African Americans have faced and continue to confront.
Viola’s story is one of hope and perseverance. It serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of understanding our past and actively working towards a better future.
