Plant City Educator Dr. Kim Thomas Manning Joins the Dear Black Woman Anthology Project
The Floridant/10316014

PLANT CITY, Fla. - Floridant -- Dr. Kim Thomas Manning, an educator based in Plant City, has been selected as a co-author for the Dear Black Woman Anthology Project, a collection of first-person letters written by Black women to their younger selves and to one another.

The anthology centers on lived experience, community care, and practical wisdom. In her contribution, Dr. Manning recounts the emergency C-section and NICU crisis that reshaped her life, the long journey of caring for her daughter with significant disabilities, and the hard lessons about naming grief, advocating in health-care settings, and keeping faith through uncertainty.

"Wisdom comes from many places: the hard places, the lonely places, the scared places, the how-I-made-it-over places, the triumphant places," Dr. Manning writes in her letter. She adds: "Dear Black Woman, claim and name whatever you are feeling. If we do not name it, we cannot heal it."

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The Dear Black Woman Anthology Project pairs personal storytelling with education and outreach, inviting readers to reflect, journal, and connect with local resources. Dr. Manning's story speaks to parents and caregivers, to women navigating medical systems, and to anyone rebuilding life after a crisis. Her voice underscores the book's aim: to make space for honest reflection, emotional literacy, and intergenerational guidance.

Availability & Community Engagement

The anthology is slated for a September 20, 2025 release, with local events planned in the Tampa & Plant City area after publication.

Pre-order information and updates will be posted at https://www.dearblackwoman.me/product-page/dear-black-woman-anthology-project-volume-1.

Bookstores, libraries, churches, and community groups interested in hosting readings or discussions with Dr. Manning may use the media contacts below.