Objectively speaking, Finding Me is a powerful story; it's not an easy one to read, as it's one born in pain and violence.

we were the baton they were passing as they were sinking into the quicksand of racism, poverty, Jim Crow, segregation, injustice, family trauma, and dysfunction. The TV and film business is saturated with people who think they're writing something human when it's really a gimmick.This memoir is like a conversation with Viola Davis, it doesn't have any real structure and I didn't feel like I learned anything inspiring.

My heart broke listening to the stories Viola shared, including befriending kids who she knew would invite her over after school so that she would be fed at their houses. Viola is vulnerable and honest and I have a deep appreciation for not just the excellent actress she is, but the person she is — Someone who overcame so much, who will shed labels and be true to herself. This is not a memoir that traces a celebrity’s humble beginnings to their eventual success; this is a memoir of healing, of finally making peace with oneself.To have gotten away in any semblance of life and still be so strong, put so much of herself into others, and be so caring and kind. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. I cried reading about Viola's childhood and the way her trauma shaped her into the woman she is today. Trying to fully understand her ‘entire’ life story and ‘how’ she survived unfathomable traumatic conditions—for years—as a child —is staggering…. Viola is so incredibly raw and honest when sharing stories from her childhood, her journey into being an actress, and the lessons she learned along the way as a daughter, wife, mother, and artist.

From the extreme poverty, the intense physical and sexual abuse, and all the way to Hollywood, Viola paints a perfect image to show you and let you understand her life. This is the path I took to finding my purpose and my strength, but also to finding my voice in a world that didn't always see me. Annalise was described as a sexual, smart, vulnerable, possibly sociopathic, highly astute, criminal defense attorney. She provides the bleak statistics surrounding the film industry and how few actors and actresses are actually able to make it in this space. I see people-the way they walk, talk, laugh, and grieve, and their silence-in a way that is hyperfocused because of my past.She does not color rose over childhood glasses — she saw her daddy’s drunken beatings of her mom to within an inch of her life — yet, she can love the man he becomes without punishing him for his past. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me. I see people—the way they walk, talk, laugh, and grieve, and their silence—in a way that is hyperfocused because of my past. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you. This is one of my most anticipated reads, ever, because I’m such a big fan of Viola Davis, and it quickly became one of my favorite memoirs, ever.