The Risk It Takes To Bloom: On Life and Liberation

Activist and journalist Willis planned to make an empowering speech during the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. As a Black trans woman, she had a powerful story to tell, but her time was abruptly cut short. Undaunted, she vowed to continue fighting for herself and the many others whose voices deserved to be heard. Willis grew up as a queer individual in Augusta, GA, with Catholic parents and a community that stressed the importance of traditional masculinity. While attending the University of Georgia, she found a home within the LGBTQIA+ community and affirmed herself as a strong woman, even as rejection, loss, and racism opened her eyes to the world’s inequalities. Willis’s narration of her debut memoir is touching, playful, and charismatic. She retells her experiences with humor and empathy, reflecting on her life and the people in it with kindness and compassion.