Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick

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Dress, Monique Lhuillier. Shoes, Kat Maconie. Earrings seen in main image, We Dream In Color. Styling: Elizabeth Stewart. Photograph: Mary Rozzi/The Guardian I was always on the outside of Juilliard because I wasn’t on the inside of me. I was fighting an ideology about what an actor was, and it was all born in the depth of white superiority.”

Then, shortly before Viola graduated high school, she was selected to go to Miami, Florida for the 'Arts Recognition and Talent Search' competition. There Viola was named a 'Promising Young Artist' which eventually led to a scholarship to Rhode Island College. It’s no accident that Time Magazine named Viola Davis one of the 100 most influential people in the world. I cried reading about Viola's childhood and the way her trauma shaped her into the woman she is today. I cheered for her, had my heart burn with pride and joy learning she's finally getting the love and life she deserves.Thank you Ms. Davis. Being brave and vulnerable is painful for me still. Thank you for leading your story. I know I’m not the only one who is and will be impacted.

The way in which I can relate to this memoir is astounding… I had no clue that I shared so many things with Miss. Vee! In this book, she had an amazing opportunity to discuss the #metoo movement more in-depth as she was one of the few to publicly raise her voice against Harvey Weinstein. She was the apt person to explain more about the movement as she is familiar with almost every piece of information and every victim related to it. She could have given a little more space for the #metoo movement in this book which would have influenced victims and every individual reading this memoir in an inspiring manner, like the impact she made with her inspiring words in the initial part of the movement. Viola prayed to meet a good man, and finally, on the set of 'City of Angels', she met Julius Tennon, whom she later married. Viola recalls, "As soon as he came into my life, my life got better because I created a family with him, with someone who loved me....I was no longer solely defined by the family that raised me and my childhood memories." I was being catapulted into adulthood. Coming from a childhood of trauma, I needed a radical transformation. I hadn’t been taught how to navigate the world. I hadn’t been taught what could help me grow or live better. I’d been taught to run from the world. I’d been taught how to hide and fight. I hadn’t been taught how to love and be still.”

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It just so happens while working with a counselor the VA assigned me we came to a point recently. Connecting my military PTSD from where it began during service of the nation to a meaning of unexpected importance.