Freedom

Rodríguez’s For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts is an exploration of the ways in which Brown women might liberate themselves from systemic racism and oppressive white-centric societal structures. In her opening chapter, “Introduction,” the author introduces the text as “a map” that might “lead to many destinations—internally, interpersonally, and far beyond” (1). Rodríguez sees the text as her “little kernel of knowledge” that she is bestowing upon the reader (1). She uses the second person direct address to establish intimacy with her audience throughout this section. In the latter paragraphs of the introduction, she asserts that “Liberation starts with knowledge” (8). Therefore, Rodríguez believes that the reader might use For Brown Girls as a vehicle for her liberation. “Freedom is not a destination,” she goes on to say, “it is a communal journey. This book is for you, by someone like you. Through...