“I struggled with making friends, tried out for the basketball team, and enjoyed shop class. But then my entire life crashed. Shortly before my 14th birthday, my family and I discovered that I was pregnant. Immediately, I lost hope. Everyone believed that I was just another statistic—a baby having a baby. I felt alone when I went to my doctor’s appointments by myself. I felt alone when I enrolled in a school for pregnant girls. I felt alone as I stayed indoors throughout my pregnancy. I felt alone as I dealt with my emotions, depression, and complicated life.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress proudly presents “Struggling to Be Me” by Lettie Ar-Rahmaan, now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress Book Store.
This book is raw, powerful, and deeply personal. “Struggling to Be Me” is more than a memoir—it’s a journey of resilience, survival, and self-discovery. Lettie Ar-Rahmaan takes us through the struggles of growing up in a world that didn’t always make room for her voice. From childhood hardships to breaking barriers as a Black woman in leadership, this book dives into themes of identity, faith, and the strength to keep going when life keeps pushing back.
Lettie doesn’t hold back. She shares the painful realities of growing up in a strict household, dealing with gender expectations, and facing racism and sexism at every turn. She talks about becoming a teenage mother and the shame that came with it, the weight of family expectations, and the struggle of finding her path. But through it all, there’s a sense of hope that no matter how hard things get, there’s always a way forward.
One of the biggest lessons in “Struggling to Be Me” is about finding your voice. For years, Lettie was taught to stay silent, to follow rules that didn’t serve her, and to shrink herself to meet other people’s expectations. But over time, she realized that being quiet wasn’t an option if she wanted to live fully. She had to fight to be heard, to challenge norms, and to claim her own space in the world.
Another powerful takeaway is the importance of support systems. The book highlights how crucial it is to have people who believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Lettie’s journey proves that no one succeeds alone, whether it was teachers, friends, or unexpected mentors. She also doesn’t hesitate to show what happens when that support is missing. Loneliness and isolation can make struggles even harder.
Lastly, this book is about resilience. Life knocked Lettie down more times than she could count, but she kept getting back up. From navigating single motherhood to battling health issues like breast cancer, she never stopped pushing forward. Her story is a reminder that struggles don’t define us—how we respond to them does.
If you’ve ever felt like the odds were stacked against you, “Struggling to Be Me” will speak to you. It’s honest, emotional, and full of hard-earned wisdom.
“Struggling to Be Me” by Lettie Ar-Rahmaan is now available for purchase via the ARPress Bookstore.