During the Holidays, Rest Is a Radical Act for Black Women

by Levi Perrin, WordInBlack

As the year winds down, so do many of us. Or at least, we try.

For Black women who lead in movements, ministries, nonprofits, classrooms, and boardrooms, the holidays can bring a mix of joy and exhaustion. Cooking and caretaking. Reunions and reminders. Festivities, yes — but also fatigue.

In a culture that often demands our labor and denies our rest, the holidays become a site of quiet resistance. It’s where we slip away from the grind, if only briefly, to remember that our worth is not tied to productivity. As Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry reminds us: “Rest is a form of resistance because it disrupts and pushes back against capitalism and white supremacy.” In her words, “Rest is a birthright.”

Why Rest Is Political for Black Women

This truth resonates especially during the holidays — a season where expectations run high and so does burnout. For Black women, rest isn’t just personal. It’s political, ancestral and necessary.

Continue reading…During the Holidays, Rest Is a Radical Act for Black Women

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