Imagination

A Manifesto

By: Ruha Benjamin

Narrated by: Janina Edwards

A world without prisons? Ridiculous. Schools that foster the genius of every child? Impossible. Work that doesn't strangle the life out of people? Naive. A society where everyone has food, shelter, love? In your dreams. Exactly.

We have the power to use our imaginations to create a world in which everyone can thrive. But obstacles abound. We have inherited destructive ideas that trap us inside a dominant imagination. Consider how racism, sexism, and classism make hierarchies, exploitation, and violence seem natural and inevitable—but all emerged from the human imagination.

The most effective way to disrupt these deadly systems is to do so collectively. Ruha Benjamin highlights the educators, artists, activists, and many others who are refuting powerful narratives that justify the status quo, crafting new stories that reflect our interconnection, and offering creative approaches to seemingly intractable problems.

Imagination: A Manifesto offers visionary examples and tactics to push beyond the constraints of what we think, and are told, is possible. This book is for anyone who is ready to take to heart Toni Morrison's instruction: "Dream a little before you think."

©2024 Ruha Benjamin (P)2024 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Namaste 🙏🏾

Don’t just love, be love itself.
Know thy self and carve your own path.
Namaste 🙏🏾

If you loved Freedom Dreams

Ruha Benjamin doesn’t pull punches! This work about recovering our imaginations brings together brilliant insights and living examples and a path forward.

Excellent read for any audience!

Whether you work for a nonprofit or you're new to the fight for equality, this book is for you. It's presented with the assumption that you care about humanity, and asked how we are all capable of changing our communities, and changing our own minds.

Phenomenal!!

this book was in extremely inspiring, empowering and revealing. if you're interested in social justice, community organizing, anti-racism this book is a must-read. It provides great historical context for how we've arrived to the many diparitets and injustices we see in every social system and how we can design a more equitable future. It also provided many examples of movements, organizations and communities that are doing the work in sustainable, innovative, and creative ways.

Brain explodes into universe!

Oh my goodness, where to start. I can imagine starting a an elementary school with the goal of getting through the book and doing some of the exercises. Expanding our children's brains instead of shutting them because they don't conform. It's not too late, for anyone. Get to know yourself and your connection to those you love and are yet to love. Above all: be curious! Question everything that goes across your mind.