Recently, I had the profound experience of reading "Rest is Resistance" by Tricia Hersey. This book has reshaped my understanding of rest and its critical importance in our lives, particularly for those of us navigating the intersections of race, capitalism, and societal expectations.

Hersey masterfully outlines the deep connections between slavery, capitalism, white supremacy, and what we know as grind culture. She unpacks how these forces intertwine to create a relentless drive for productivity, often at the expense of our well-being. The concept of "Black excellence" and the idea that Black people must work twice as hard to get half as much are particularly damaging. Hersey argues that this mindset, born out of systemic oppression, continues to perpetuate a cycle of exhaustion and burnout.

One of the most striking revelations from the book was the critique of our capitalistic system. Hersey explains how this system is designed to keep us operating in a state of constant fatigue, robbing us of the mental capacity and space necessary to imagine and dream.