December 17th, 2024, the latest self-published, unfeigned and raw Deolinda Abstrac release of Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi raised the ears and heartstrings of many readers. It is an eight year vulnerable recollection of trauma, observations, and monumental snapshots. The candid and resilient read emphasizes the contradicting relationship between social media and mental health. The unapologetic memes, polished lifestyles, and creative aesthetics play the role of distracting the narrator from the emotional, mental and physical challenges she describes throughout the adventurous read. Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi bravely invites those who wear masks they never take off, disguising the melancholy frenzy and corridor of unexplainable emotions only to discover they are not an outlier.
Clawed walls, piercing cells, and electronic lockdown systems are not the only forms of imprisonment. Fletcher carves a raw perspective by vividly placing a single mother living in Milwaukee, WI while being a healthcare worker and studying public speaking at the forefront of the contemporary read. The headstrong and courageous mother admits feeling stripped of freedom. Imprisonment is the center of her life and has always been; as it consistently creates a web affecting her emotional, physical, and mental capacities. The second chapter, The Beckoning, cultivates such an eerie yet liberating framework of how harsh and careless the world views and treats the physical bodies of black people; specifically black women. It’s often exploited and oversexualized but our bodies function as a place of nurture, legacy, and art even though many black women use none of these functions to uplift and care for themselves. The powerful author shares the past and present behavior that devalues and harms our lives on the daily but quickly follows with words of encouragement to celebrate, emphasize and embody the royal temple, also known as a black woman’s body. She’s essentially challenging all African-American women to end the routine of loading all unrealistic expectations, increased work quantity, and unaddressed violations before we step into the world and begin playing our role.
Accessorizing ourselves with additional job titles whether in career fields or personal relationships has never filled the enormous void every black woman has felt for at least a year of their life; unseen. No matter how many hats we wear or how different they are from one another; Destinny graphically illustrated not only the feeling but perseverance of not being seen.
Page 61 of the text reads:
No one asked me if I am okay
Or if I remember what day it is
Or am I going through a crisis
Or have I eaten today
Or if my mental state is kosher
Or is my soul safe
No one has asked me and I am starting to think that the world does
not care for such little insight.
The internal war within ourselves to ger out of that queen sized bed, one of the few places where Black Queen feels in reach. For others, your family and friends makes you feel seen but it’s questioned once you enter the elevator at work; which is why overachiever, problem-solver, and team player has become your middle names. The bold inspirationalist not only releases this weight in her book but sat down with me to explain a brilliant revelation:
“We are the performers. The family that’s heavily involved in the arts and rescues everyone else from their downfalls; but in the midst of that we are creating our own without even realizing it”.
-Community Health Advocate/Author/Art Educator Destinny Fletcher
It’s why striving to be perfect in our adolescence and adulthood is the goal because it’ll mask the pain, insecurities, and disappointment with the feeling of finally being seen. But what does being seen mean if you’re fading away on the other side of the mirror?
The conclusion that experiencing freedom and sense of belonging can be apart of our life stories clicks when a black woman does what she already knows; take matters into her own hands. Throughout Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi, writing gave Destinny power and surge. From her admirable public speaking homework to tackling every health issue for her community, flashes of confidence, acceptance and strength exuded through the pages of the book. It was as if Deolinda Abstrac was staring at you asking, “Do you feel this way too?”.
The devastation of sexual harassment, suppressing sexuality, and becoming a creative working on fumes planted the seed of Chapter 29: Day 12. For example, the text reads:
I forgot who I was
Correction: Who I am?
Maybe they haven’t asked because I haven’t left my room in four days
Disconnecting from the world is one of the top defense mechanisms used by African-American women but why? The jaw-dropping read delicately explains how the art of disconnection is subconsciously taught by our families. By age twelve to fourteen, laundry, knowing our way around the kitchen, working for dollars, and nurturing others has become second nature. While our parents and grandparents assume they’re teaching independence, isolation and disconnection are hiding in plain sight, finding easier pathways into the minds of children. This is why failures are often hidden from family members because it seems since childhood; there was rarely positive reinforcement and feedback. As young girls, it’s easy to mimic what fills your eyes. Some parents utilized extended time in the restroom for breaks away from the world, while others gained dependence on substance abuse or dating frequently. Required to stand on your own and execute your life plan to a tee, weakens a black woman’s ability to admit she’s not okay and to ask for help. However; this is the conversation replacing in our minds:
I’m not crazy.
I swear I cannot ask my parents for help.
I’m an adult in my 20s, so I can control myself and I can take care of SELF.
Being independent shouldn’t erase the natural law; we all fall at least once in our lives and should be guided by those who love and support us the most. Too much pride is carried inside blocking anybody from knowing and helping black women when the feeling of being lost and hitting their lowest point takes a turn. As a result, the conversation about faith and good people comes into play. “Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God love me?” are the first two questions asked.
Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi is more than a shocking page-turner. In my opinion, it was a statement to all African-American women from Destinny saying, “Girl, me too! I see you and have the same struggles as you”. I’m not the only one that was mesmerized and captivated by this new read. Reporter, journalist, and photographer Princess Safiyah Byars described Fletcher’s latest masterpiece as such: “In a time where everything seems polished to perfection, Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi stands out as a raw, and unfiltered masterpiece. A heartfelt sharing of personal and communal emotional trauma that is as moving as it is relatable. With the rhythm of a journal and the grace of poetry, Destinny invites us through scenes, each one stepped in vulnerability, truth, and unyielding resolve to confront life’s shadows. This work delves into the depths of depression, the dangers of overworking, and the nuanced struggles of sexual freedom– offering a lens into the intricate, and often overlooked mental health battles of black women. Destinny’s voice is both intimate and universal capturing pain, triumph, and humanity. This book is more than a compilation of stories; it is a testament to resilience, a tribute to the courage it takes to own one’s narrative, and a call to embrace vulnerability as a source of strength. There is an unflinching honesty here, inviting readers to sit with the discomfort and beauty of it all. For anyone who has ever felt the weight of societal expectations, the loneliness of mental health struggles or the complexities of self-discovery, this book will resonate deeply”. -Princess Safiyah Byars
To every black woman gracing the earth, you are not crazy, overly aggressive, or weak. We all experience a rollercoaster of unexplainable emotions but rarely speak about them until our breaking points. There’s a stigma that mental health issues only looks one way or experienced only if someone’s life is in shambles. What about the honor roll straight A student who just got a full-ride to college? Or the woman whose packing poetry clubs every week giving her peers hope and laughter? Destinny wrote such a compelling yet authentic story that every black women can identify with by the first five minutes of reading. I appreciate how she added the element of individuality into the book as she inserted pictures from early life to now, loose-leaf poetry clippings, and her own story throughout the read. She shared the honest journey of her sexuality with both men and women, being a survivor of sexual harassment, and the impact the Coronavirus pandemic had on her own mental health as motivating puzzle pieces to Day 12 and Still No Wi-Fi. An S.O.S letter to all black women with no sugarcoating involved, educating them that they are not alone. It’s a moment where no competition or judgement should be near, rather a state of sisterhood and opportunity for the difficult conversations we don’t even have with ourselves. This highly anticipated, surreal and strong reawakening to the name Destinny Fletcher was well worth the wait.
Grab this read so that mental health is no longer taboo to you and to strengthen your journey of finding yourself. Purchase the exciting adventure on Destinny Fletcher’s website at http://dabstrac.com/ Follow Destinny on instagram and facebook @dabstrainc
She sees you!
Desriana Gilbert/ Entertainment & Social Journalist for CW
