When Black people mourn, it is not only for the passing of loved ones. As a community, Black people will also be mourning the systemic inequalities, racial prejudices and oppressions we experience daily.

The stories and poems in this anthology illuminate the unique ways loss affects the Black community, and the effects of the widespread lack of understanding of traditional rituals and beliefs. They show us how experiences of collective loss during the pandemic, the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire and ongoing systemic health inequalities are experienced not just as individuals but also as part of a global community. Contributors from a range of backgrounds, professions, and identities discuss the challenges of grieving under the shadow of continuing adversity, including threats of deportation. Sources of strength and healing are also explored, from personal and spiritual responses to community initiatives and activism.

Poignant and inspiring, these are stories we all need to read, and provide us with insights into lives and losses which are all too often misunderstood and sidelined.

This is our voice, these are our truths, and our stories deserve to be told.

This deeply empowering and personal collection of stories brings together a wide range of Black experiences on the menopause journey. Drawing on the historical and cultural importance of storytelling traditions in African and Caribbean ancestry, this anthology breaks through a taboo topic that has too often been mired in shame and silence with courage and vulnerability.

Contributions span across various heritages, sexual orientations, ages, and gender identities, curating an intimate treasury of journeys full of honesty, pain, healing, and liberation. Topics on emotional, mental, and sexual health as well as complementary therapies are all discussed with empathy and sincerity, allowing readers to broaden their depth of understanding on the experiences of Black people impacted by the menopause.