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by Tamica Barnett (Author)
What we go through in life can either make us or break us. For fourteen years, she had the honor of sharing her life with her mother-a woman who, in her younger years, was strong-willed and resilient, qualities that deeply influenced her daughter. After the divorce from her husband, however, the once-strong woman became overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness, slowly letting down the guard that had once defined her strength.
During that vulnerable time, a man named Preston entered her life. At first, he seemed to bring happiness, but the brief joy quickly turned into a downward spiral that ended in tragedy when he took her life. In the years since that devastating day, her daughter has often wondered why her mother stayed with someone capable of such cruelty. Determined that the past would not define her future, she has worked hard to build a life grounded in self-respect-learning to love and care for herself first and choosing a partner who would never harm her or her children.
Going Forward...
The author includes important information about domestic violence, including statistics that highlight the unique challenges faced by Black women-particularly in relation to children, violence, poverty, and the importance of stable, intact families. She also reflects on the lessons she has learned in the thirty years since her mother's murder.
Through her experiences and research, she brings awareness to a difficult truth: in the United States, one in four women will experience abuse from an intimate partner during her lifetime. By sharing both personal insight and broader context, the author hopes to shed light on the issue and encourage understanding, healing, and prevention.
