{"title":"Raquel Willis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRaquel Willis\u003c\/strong\u003e explores the intricate connections between identity, resilience, and transformation. Her works invite readers to reflect on personal growth amid adversity, blending poignant storytelling with insightful perspectives on change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith themes that resonate deeply within the realms of \u003cem\u003eScience \u0026amp; Nature\u003c\/em\u003e, Willis’s writing captures the delicate balance between human experience and the natural world, encouraging a thoughtful appreciation of both. Her titles offer a compelling journey into the forces that nurture courage and bloom. \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-risk-it-takes-to-bloom-by-raquel-willis-9781250406040","title":"The Risk It Takes to Bloom","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of \u003cem\u003eTIME\u003c\/em\u003e magazine's 2025 WOMEN OF THE YEAR\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWINNER of the LGBTQ+ Nonfiction, 2024 Best Book Awards\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Augusta, Georgia, to devout Black Catholic parents, Raquel Willis grew up yearning for belonging in a world that offered little language for queerness and transness. Though surrounded by love, she felt isolated—adrift between faith, expectation, and a truth she couldn't yet name. At the University of Georgia, she discovered her first glimpses of liberation: community, love, and a space to explore her gender. Then, the sudden death of her father forced her to reckon with grief, identity, and legacy. These hard-won epiphanies fertilized the soil for her to bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter entering journalism—and concealing her truth to survive—Raquel was galvanized by the epidemic of violence against trans women of colour, rising suicides of trans youth, and the erasure of Black trans power. She came out publicly, choosing truth over safety, and stepped into the work of collective liberation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the streets of Atlanta to Oakland and New York, Raquel became one of the leading voices in a new generation of Black trans activism and feminism. Her story is a testament to the risk, and the power, of blooming against the odds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48018788090092,"sku":"9781250406040","price":53.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781250406040-the-risk-it-takes-to-bloom.jpg?v=1785232429"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/raquel-willis.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}