Karen Walrond is an activist, lawyer, leadership coach, and anti-ageism banner carrier. Her new book Radiant Rebellion came about because, “I wanted to investigate the best way to approach getting older, to determine how doing so could ultimately add purpose to my efforts to join the movement against ageism,” she says in the book.
She divides her work into four sections: ignite (ageism’s origins and lighting our fighting fire); disrupt (rejecting social norms and learning to age freely); connect (cultivate community); and envision (create the future we want by living our aging philosophy out loud). Each section includes an interview with experts and those aging well, as well as part of Walrond’s story.
Her eclectic background lends voice to the many facets of what it means to age. As a Black woman raised partly in Texas and partly in her native Trinidad &Tobago, Walrond attended a Catholic school, had friends of all faiths and backgrounds, and baptized her daughter in an Episcopalian church. Obeah, the mysterious spiritual practice of her native home? Not to be believed, but certainly to be respected as her Grannie taught her.
Readers will find a unique blend of personal stories, interviews, challenges, and encouragement to come to understand ourselves as we age, as well as our place in the world. She talks about things as personal as letting her hair go silver (as this reviewer did) to as universal as addressing our spiritual health. Walrond also offers The Radiant Rebellion Toolkit, Articles of Engagement for those joining the Radiant Rebellion, and a guide for writing your own Radiant Rebellion Handbook.
This book isn’t the usual call to Christian women to “be reverent in the way they live” and to “urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,” as found in Titus 2. In fact, there are occasional swear words throughout. Radiant Rebellion is a wonderful challenge to women to embrace our true selves as we age, to challenge the status quo when it comes to women and aging, and to truly step into who God calls us to be. (Broadleaf)
About the Author
Ann Byle is author of Chicken Scratch: Lessons on Living Creatively from a Flock of Hens. She is a freelance writer and author of several other books, magazine articles, and reviews. She lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.