Home Is Within You

 Home is Within You: A Memoir of Recovery & Redemption, Nadia Davis, 2023

 

This is the story of one person's journey from addiction, discrimination and mental health struggles to healing and redemption.

 

A native of Southern California, the author was the youngest of seven children. All of her siblings looked European, while she looked Hispanic (Mom was German, while Dad was Hispanic and Native American). She received the "usual" anti-Hispanic discrimination while growing up. She also got it from other Hispanics, who felt that her last name, Davis, was not Hispanic enough.

 

On a whim, she applied to UCLA (instead of going to a less-expensive state school), and they said Yes. She got interested in Sociology and Criminal Justice, with an emphasis on helping others. Davis got involved in a lawsuit that forced the local school district to provide tests in Spanish, and not, automatically, put Hispanic students in the "slow" class.

 

As life went on, and after getting her law degree, the author battled addiction, a serious auto accident, public shaming and more than enough personal trauma for any one person. She also shows how she got through each of these "storms," and came out the other end recovered and healed.

 

This is a very inspirational book. No matter what personal trauma has been in your life, the author has probably been there. It is very much recommended for everyone.