A Testament to the Power of the Human Spirit

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Leaving Breezy Street by Brenda Myers-Powell is a colorful, instructive and compelling story about struggle, survival, and prevailing against all odds. It is a testament to the power of the human spirit, never giving up despite setbacks, doing the hard work to create the life you wish you had, and constructively channeling personal experience by giving back to the community through mentoring and advocating for others. I was struck by how much the descriptions of the author’s childhood reminded me of Terry McMillan’s first book Mama, in terms of growing up in a vibrant, boisterous, energetic, challenging household, and despite enduring some of the worst life has to give, the journey leads to a personal renaissance that is a full circle joyful embrace of the past with the present, and a celebration of family and faith. 

Author Myers-Powell notes, “Respect. That’s how I lived my life. Needing respect, demanding respect and actually, that’s how I got into a lot of trouble I found myself in.” The words in her book convey her truth, and as she states, “It starts in the family.” She grew up a child in an adult world, the 60s in Chicago, got lots of spankings, remembers the first person who “tried to mess with her,” couldn’t play outside, didn’t have friends, knew how to be invisible when adults were doing inappropriate things, and “trained to be a ho, before she knew what one was.” Her mother was dead, her favorite uncle was a criminally brutal bully who lovingly shared fried bologna sandwiches as well as biscuits and syrup with her. 

In the home and on the streets, violence and love are two mercurial players who appear and disappear at a moment’s notice, repeating their capricious danse macabre in a way that wreaks havoc in the mind and heart of a child. Young Brenda yearns for freedom, and seemingly independent women dressed smartly on street corners catch her attention. She states, “It looked powerful, and when you are in pain, you’re looking for some power and control.” She is 14 years old when two pimps pick her up and terrorize her to stay with them. 

Brenda needs rescuing from the human commerce of truck stops and seedy backroad motels, but doesn’t realize at the time no one looks for young black girls. Her story of life inside the insulated bubble of human trafficking, using drugs to mask fear, hurt, and enormous frustration, unfolds in a way you rarely see in any book. It is a story of one of many young women whose plight is a global inconvenient truth, sponsored by a quietly burgeoning industry, that capitalizes on vulnerable women with few choices for survival; no one is looking for them when they disappear. No one is rescuing them, there are scarce resources of sanctuary available, and few advocate for them in the seats of state and national government. 

The balance of this book is a journey of self discovery in the darkest of personal moments, and shines light on life’s blessings. After making the decision to evict toxic influences from her life, she “started dating herself,” loving herself, eating right, grooming herself with care, getting stronger, healing, eating out and going to movies alone, because she knew her love and focus needed to be on the author of her life...herself. Her pilgrimage toward self fulfillment leads to a purpose greater than herself in advocacy work with others trafficked for revenue. She becomes known in Springfield, Illinois as the “senator slayer,” building that reputation during trips to the capitol, tireless and determined in her efforts to lobby for people with few fighters in their corner. 

This story is stunning in its detail of reality for those trapped in a life of human trafficking, and encouraging in its outcome. Myers-Powell speaks with the imperative voice of experience for those whose stories may remain untold, and so readers can share in witnessing this important, riveting, and timely narrative.

(Note: I received a copy of this audiobook from publisher Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher. #LeavingBreezyStreet 

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