By Aisha Johnson Adams

This is What Made Me

Surviving Trauma, Challenging Systems, & Claiming Healing

A Memoir

A powerful, unflinching memoir that speaks to the heart of healing, identity, and Black womanhood.

Aisha Johnson Adams is a talented writer. In her first essay collection, This Is What Made Me, Adams weaves a narrative of grief and resilience that showcases her thoughtful use of words to create art. Part historical document, part personal reflection, this is a book I will read again and again.

—Windy Lynn Harris, editor and author of Writing & Selling Short Stories & Personal Essays (Penguin Random House / Writer’s Digest Books)

Aisha’s writing can challenge your way of thinking about important topics in a way that is neither preachy nor judgmental. Instead, her writing is like that friend who only wants you to be the highest version of yourself.

—Javacia Bowser, founder of See Jane Write

Aisha Adams addresses life’s challenges by sharing stories rooted in personal and community trauma, offering her truths with authenticity and vulnerability. Her insights extend beyond basic survival; they provide guidance for flourishing within a world marked by systemic bias and inequity. Her essays resonate deeply with readers, sparking reflection and reminding us that no matter what you have been through, you can still thrive!

—Dr. Joseph L. Fox, Ed.D., MBA, PHR, equity consultant, speaker, and educator

Resilience. Reflection. Renewal.

The Book

“For a Black woman, life being hard is almost as certain as her melanated skin. That’s why they were given the wide hips to carry it. Thinking back over her life as she wrote this memoir, Aisha realized that who she was and what she’d been through were symbiotic essences. The things that could have, should have, or would have broken her were actually parts of the secret sauce that created a woman who is accountable, tenacious, and successful. No one’s path is easy. But what you do with the lessons, the stumbling blocks, and the pain is what makes you into the person you are.

Here, Aisha shares with you all that made her the multifaceted, successful, kind, wise woman that she is today. Through her trials, she hopes you find familiarity. She hopes you find validation. But most of all, she hopes that you find peace in the things that made, and are making, you. Because you are an amazing person all your own, and the world needs the sauce that flavors every step of your life.”

—Southern Goddess Ink

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Author. Speaker. Educator.

Meet Aisha

Aisha Adams is a writer, equity advocate, and community leader who has dedicated her career to empowering communities and fostering inclusivity. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Aisha is the founder of Aisha Adams Media, where she develops innovative programs and initiatives that address critical issues such as affordable housing, mental health, and environmental justice.

My Story