No Arms to Hold Me

Zondra Johnson should have been proud of herself having graduated high school at the age of 16 and gone to college directly from her single mother’s home. However, she took with her the stigma of the black hue of her skin and every insecurity growing up without a father and a strict mother in Authors Zach Tate and Elissa Gabrielle’s “No Arms to Hold Me.” Learning life on the fly, yet armed with words of wisdom from her mother and grandmother, Zee found herself involved with life events that some would say could have been avoided, should have been; but that line about her eyes? Well, let’s say it always seemed to be the opener to a new journey in Zee’s life. In a short span of time, Zondra found herself trying to be a woman, a sister, a mother, a wife, and so many things in between. But for every woman who has had to struggle with “self” and what that means to them, from the color of their skin, the size of their bodies, where they come from, or if their fathers have been in their lives, you will find yourself relating to, rooting for, and finding hope through Zondra’s journey. As she comes into who she is in her quest for arms to hold her, maybe you will, too.