Summary

In Chapter 1, “Everything I Thought Was Wrong,” Villarosa describes the health care crisis in America. Despite the nation’s wealth, it “has the highest rate of infant mortality and the lowest life expectancy in comparison with other wealthy countries” (1). These disparities primarily impact people of color, “particularly African Americans” (1).

As a Black American “journalist and author,” Villarosa has worked “in both ethnic and mainstream media” for decades (2). For many years, she was “a contributing nutrition and fitness writer for Essence magazine” (3). At this time, she believed “the health crisis in Black America” was related to class, not race (4). When she read Margaret Heckler’s 1985 report, she was overwhelmed by “the issue of health inequality” in America (4). For years, she had been touting self-care and healthy habits as key to Black wellness.

Villarosa grew up “on the South Side of Chicago” with her parents...