A riveting memoir of truth and beauty. Mytrae Meliana goes where few writers dare to tread. In Brown Skin Girl she crosses the boundaries of race and culture to shine light on ancient taboos and secrets festering inside a family, only to emerge strong and radiant.
— Shona Patel, author of Teatime for the Firefly and Flame Tree Road
A young woman from India’s compelling, joyful, stunningly articulate tale of leaving family dictates and stifling cultural restrictions to come to America and find—herself.
—Adair Lara, author of Naked, Drunk, and Writing, a practical guidebook to essay and memoir
Brown Skin Girl is an inspiring, lyrically-written memoir that will transport you from the traditional sights and sounds of India to the dreams of freedom in America. Mytrae Meliana repeatedly challenges beliefs that don’t align with her heart and soul, and courageously frees herself from generations of unquestioned loyalty to the past to create a life of her own.
— Pamela S. Alexander, PhD, author of Initiation of the Soul: Myths and Fairy Tales as a Path of Awakening to Freedom and Wholeness
Trauma and oppression break our inherent sense of safety, belonging and dignity. They make chaos out of what could be connection and ask for submission where there should be empowerment. Here, Meliana speaks to the sheer wastefulness of violence, the profundity of human resilience, and our capacity to heal. It reminds me why we stand up and make change.
— Staci K. Haines, author of The Politics of Trauma: Somatics, Healing and Social Justice and Healing Sex: A Mind-Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma