Canadian author Trey Anthony, right, wrote a book, “Black Girl in Love With (Herself) and encourages healthy boundaries especially in mother-daughter relationships.
Canadian author Trey Anthony faced obstacles including a painful breakup after becoming a new mother. She overcame them in a new book, which she is promoting on a book tour.
When Trey Anthony was on the cusp of homelessness with a young baby after her partner gave her 10 days to leave their house, all while in the thick of the pandemic, what did the young mother do?
The British-born Canadian playwright, actor and producer allowed herself to embrace uncertainty on her terms – but not before doing the inner work first.
Anthony said that once she began getting help, she came to realize that she is not the only woman finding herself questioning how does she not have the “perfect life on Instagram.”
“I had really hit rock bottom and had a chance for me to go what the hell happened to my life and how did I come here?” Anthony told the Michigan Chronicle. “It came from a really vulnerable state really doing the inner work.”
That inner work resulted in a book, “Black Girl in Love (With Herself),” which she wrote in 2021. The wildly successful book – that encourages Black women to practice self-love and self-care – is being promoted through an international book tour that is headed to Detroit this August.
“Therapy is not just for white women, no matter what your momma told you,” as covered by the book, which also talks about true friendship and boundaries.
“I got a lot of emails and requests online from people who wanted to kind of interact with me in person to discuss the themes of the book and that is how I came up with the tour,” Anthony said, adding that she has a background in standup theatre also. “I want to bring the book alive with the themes of the book in theater and comedy. We’re exploring a lot around Black women and relationships— our relationships with ourselves, our moms our children and vulnerability and love and my own experiences [and] lessons. I learned [about] dysfunctional relationships I’ve been in myself and [help] bringing the book alive.”
Her memoir encapsulates Anthony’s life and her innermost struggles to meet the demands of her family while living up to the image of a “strong” Black woman. The book delivers key points that can be used as the “ultimate guide for Black women and girls.”
Anthony is described as a visionary creator who uses a blend of comedy, theatre, motivational talk and her own life experiences to encourage and lift up others. She is a professional speaker, lifestyle coach, producer, author and award-winning playwright, and she’s also “your girl” who tells it how it is, as described on her website. Through art, humor and the power of a clear message, she’s here to give Black women the no-nonsense tools to take control of their lives and thrive.
“The Black Girl in Love with (Herself)” Tour Detroit (by Trey Anthony Studios) promises healing, laughter, and love with a “little bit of rachet” and the entertainment is scheduled from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, at Garden Theater, 3929 Woodward Ave. In Detroit. Parking is available at a parking garage connected to the theater at Woodward Gardens located on 25 W Alexandrine Street for a fee.
The theme of the evening is Chocolat En Rouge (Chocolate in Red)! Attendees are encouraged to wear their best red or chocolate attire and “get ready for an inspirational event like you haven’t experienced before.”
“Treat yourself to an evening of celebration among sisters, friends, mothers, aunties and boss women like yourself,” according to the show description.
Anthony – who has a huge following in Canada – says she is interested in advocating through her sharp, witty humor despite the hardships that many other Black women go through.
Anthony told her therapist recently that she feels like she is just mourning the demise of her relationship with her partner even though it’s been two years.
“I think the last two years I was in survival mode and trying to get by and learning how to mother and do basic necessities and now I’m digging deeper around self-care and healing around the love I need for myself and child and getting out of that survival mode,” Anthony said. “What hit me is how many of us as Black women [live] our entire lives being in survival mode.”
Anthony added that many Black mothers and grandmothers have raised children in their own survival mode and not had the resources to access help.
“I am definitely privileged to have resources to write the book and interview psychiatrists to do all of those things and have resources that my mother, grandmother never had, and I think often Black women recognize that we were parented by women in survival mode at all times.”
She added that writing the book helped her to be more forgiving of the Black women around her who are also carrying their own hurts, and that visiting Detroit during her tour was done very purposefully.
“I really wanted to go where there was a strong influence of Black women and Detroit kept coming up,” she said, adding that Toronto and Atlanta are next.
Through the tears and laughter, Anthony wants her show to resonate for newcomers and stick with those who want more on their own healing journey.
“So many women have said, ‘We haven’t seen a show like this – it is so extraordinary. … ‘ People have asked me to describe … you just got to experience it.”
For more information on the upcoming book tour find “Black Girl in Love With (Herself)” Tour visit https://www.eventbrite.com/.
For more information visit treyanthony.com.
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