I Have Always Been Me

A Memoir

By: Precious Brady-Davis, Joey Soloway - introduction

Narrated by: Precious Brady-Davis

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

A powerful memoir of independence, releasing the past, and living the dream by award-winning trans advocate Precious Brady-Davis.

Precious Brady-Davis remembers the sense of being singular and grappling with “otherness." Born into traumatic circumstances, Davis was brought up in the Omaha foster care system and the Pentecostal faith. As a biracial, gender-nonconforming kid, she felt displaced. Yet she realized by coming into her identity that she had a purpose all along.

In I Have Always Been Me, Brady-Davis reflects on a childhood of neglect, instability, and abandonment. She reveals her determination to dream through it and shares her profound journey as a trans woman now fully actualized, absolutely confident, and precious. She speaks to anyone who has ever tried to find their place in this world and imparts the wisdom that comes with surmounting odds and celebrating on the other side.

A memoir, a love story, and an outreach for the marginalized, Precious’s sojourn is a song of self-reliance and pride and an invitation to join in the chorus.

©2021 Precious Brady-Davis. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Diversity advocate and communications professional Precious Brady-Davis narrates her memoir of growing up a biracial, gender-nonconforming youth and trans woman in Nebraska and Chicago.... The author's emotional voice illuminates deeply imprinted experiences that drive her motivation for helping others. Brady-Davis's passion in creating meaningful change for her young family and the worldwide community transcends this meaningful production.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Readers can share in the joy of [Precious’s] first time performing in drag and later meeting her now-husband, Myles Brady-Davis, which lead her to appearing as the first trans bride on the hit show, Say Yes to The Dress, and eventually, to becoming a mother.” (The Advocate)

“The author is a shining example of a proud Black trans woman, celebrating genderqueerness in her work and personal lives. An inspiring memoir of nonconformity.” (Kirkus Reviews)

a true story of triumph

this book will make you cry laugh think about your own life and vow to do better

Highly recommend this book!!

A very compelling and extraordinarily
honest narrative! Storytelling that is accessible and engaging for many audiences!

A testament of Resilience

I have Always Been me is truly an all-American story. The real America. Many of us didn’t grow up in families that resembled those on TV, and had to make sense out of and evolve from our dysfunctional families. I found Precious’ story to be inspiring, heartbreaking, and at the same time hilarious. That’s one of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the moments where I knew I was laughing WITH the author not at her and her experiences. “I have always been me” is motivation for anyone looking ignite their own resilience.

Amazing story of resilience

This is a wonderfully told story of resilience, chosen family, and the journey to discover one’s own truly authentic self. Precious is a gorgeous, talented woman and Chicago so is lucky to have her!

Must read!

Precious Brady-Davis is not only an amazing author but an interminable spirit. Enjoy her passion for life and her experiences as she became her true self.

A Pentecostal Past, Rising to Life with Validation

Many of us in the LGBTQ+ communities have stories very similar to the author. We relate to the bigotry and hate that we experience being ourselves. This memoir shows how we navigate our lives in the world of religious misunderstandings and lack of empathy toward the marginalized individuals whom they profess to love. The story of Precious Davis required the explanations of the hardships of growing up in the repressive society of being black, feminine for a male, and different. Living in our world, created with no control of who we are, and then being judged so hardly by they who profess to be messengers for God,

I don't have to imagine such a thing as being called "of the devil," as I also have experienced the same treatment multiple times in my youth and adult life. I relate on so many levels, even though I did not take the same path and experience the same level of bullying and harassment as the young person experiencing these events. I know that their approach was challenging, and the descriptions are written so well as to be cringeworthy. The many events depicted were necessary to show how much they had to endure before realizing that it had been "worth the suffering."

I wish we didn't live in a world where we read stories like this, with suffering, judgment, hate, and religious battery. The mention of Anytown in her text, Precious, motivated me to research this wonderful organization. It is by authors like Precious that help educate people, one person at a time, creating a better understanding of social justice issues. Precious opened my eyes to this diverse organization. I will be supporting Anytown with my activism and with my pocketbook. I believe in their mission to help bring more diversity and leadership to the youth and adults to our nation and the world.

I would love to hear more about their transition journies; however, as a transwoman myself, I respect the desired privacy and the reluctance to share details of surgeries and body changes, as these do not matter in the long run. I am so happy that the focus is on living their lives as normally as possible with happiness and validation. Isn't that what we all desire, Happiness and the Validation that we live our lives authentically without regrets?

Very detailed account of an incredible life

This woman's life from beginning to the present really encapsulates a cast range of experiences. From the traumas of a broken, abusive family, the racial microaggressions, and the transgender journey within a family, country, and culture so far from true acceptance, Precious has truly overcome. She's had some incredible experiences and has worked to help others in a range of similar situations, both by working with them personally and by working to change the culture of schools and businesses.

Where this lost stars for me:
1. The Audible is read by the author, which I generally prefer for memoir, and in some places it was nice to hear her voice. However, Precious has a way of making even everyday normalcy sound tragic or traumatic or like an attack. I found this really annoying because it took me out of the story and made it harder to relate. She also pauses between words more frequently than is needed, which disrupts the flow.

2. While so many of the anecdotes are rendered in a way that draws in the reader and makes the story relatable, many details included throughout really didn't at much to the narrative, especially repeated details.