Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies

"The experiences of African American women and Latinas are rich and complex. While these women live with economic, psychological, social, and political risk, they have also attained noteworthy ways of coping and thriving, and they bring healing, wholeness, and restoration to themselves and their communities. Thus, the growing literature on their experiences highlights narratives of survival, struggle, and soaring. This inspiring book introduces the psychologies of womanists and mujeristas-- African American women and Latinas, respectively, who have a broad and inclusive approach to feminism and liberation. Womanist and mujerista values and worldviews emphasize resiliency, strength, activism, self-expression, creativity, spirituality/connection, self-definition, and liberation of all oppressed people. While the experiences of African American women and Latinas are often marginalized or even patjologized in the general psychology literature, this book centralizes these experiences. It unpacks the underexplored areas of these women's historical and contemporary ways of knowing and approaches to living. Cultural and gender identity is viewed not from a deficit perspective, but as an asset and contributor to meaning, identity, and strengths. The editors and authors of this volume are all womanists and mujeristas who are leading psychologists and scholars. They integrate findings from multiple disciplines to explore psychology, spirituality, creativity, activism, counseling, healing, research, and leadership."--Cover.