Black People Breathe

A Mindfulness Guide to Racial Healing

By: Zee Clarke

Narrated by: Zee Clarke

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A thoughtful and inclusive guide to help Black people—and all people of color—heal from racial trauma using vital tools from an expert in mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork.

It is your right to survive. It is your right to thrive. Mindfulness and breathwork will help you do just that.

Racism is more than just an interpersonal experience. It is a systemic injustice that affects the lives of Black people, and all people of color, in countless ways. Doctors and psychologists have discovered the wide-ranging—and often devastating—effects of racism on one’s emotional, physical, and mental health, from high blood pressure and heart problems to anxiety and depression. Yet studies show that mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork can significantly reduce these issues. This is where Zee Clarke comes in.

In this powerful book, Clarke draws on her professional expertise and her lived experience as a Black woman to share mindfulness exercises, breathwork practices, and meditative tools centered on healing from and surviving racial trauma. Filled with deeply personal stories highlighting the many systemic challenges that people of color face, this mixture of guide and memoir offers thirty-three practical techniques based on the emotions elicited from these experiences. Whether you are coping with police brutality, racial profiling, microaggressions, or even imposter syndrome, Black People Breathe gives you the tools to process these complex feelings physically, mentally, and emotionally. Though this collection was created to facilitate healing for communities of color, it also offers allies insight into the discrimination and inequity that these communities face, creating a space for deeper empathy and the inspiration to drive change.

Black People Breathe takes a radically inclusive approach to mindfulness, allowing communities of color the opportunity to embark on a journey towards racial healing.

©2023 Zee Clarke (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Zee Clarke’s beautifully illustrated book, Black People Breathe, is a go-to reference book for every Black person, People of Color, and ally to understand the devastating health consequences of ongoing systemic racism, microaggressions, and other struggles. Black People Breathe will become a go-to manual, charting a course toward how we can heal ourselves with breathwork and mindfulness so we don’t just survive, but thrive.” —Dr. Corey Yeager, author of How Am I Doing: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself, Detroit Pistons life coach & psychotherapist

“In Black People Breathe, Zee Clarke captures how we can all be more aware, empathetic, and supportive as allies. She has opened my eyes wider to issues I’ve been aware of and discussing for several years. The magic with this book is that Zee’s personal touch completely expands my awareness and gives me a new perspective that will propel me in my work moving forward. And I plan to implement the breathing techniques into my own life. I am grateful to Zee for her honesty, vulnerability, and strength. I am recommending this book to all of my friends and colleagues, as we will all learn and grow by reading Black People Breathe.” —Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient

What I truly needed in this moment!

As the world has changed drastically in the last couple years the work place hasn’t. Zee’s stories are relatable me. Her breathing exercises that are taught thorough out the book are so helpful. I will be re-reading this book again and again.

Very relatable

Loved every moment and the author’s personality shines through. It was very relatable with actionable steps.

Brilliant, much appreciated

I love the way Zee described the situations that she’s faced. As a Black woman many of us have experienced these situations and issues in the same way she has. I love how she’s touched on the importance of being able to advocate for ourselves, and paying attention to our heart and mental health. I think it’s an eye opening concept and it’s really important to have these conversations and knowledge on the breathing and mindfulness we need on a daily. Love love love this book. Love you Zee and I can’t wait for your next book.