Tricia Hersey

Far too many of us have claimed productivity as the cornerstone of success. Brainwashed by capitalism, we subject our bodies and minds to work at an unrealistic, damaging, and machine‑level pace of work –– feeding into the same engine that enslaved millions into brutal labor for its virtuous benefit. Our worth does not reside in how much we produce, especially for a system that exploits and dehumanizes us. Rest, in its simplest form, becomes an act of resistance and a reclaiming of power because it disrupts and pushes back against capitalism and white supremacy. From the founder and creator of The Nap Ministry, Rest Is Resistance is a battle cry, a guidebook, a map for a movement, and a field guide for the weary and hopeful. It is rooted in spiritual energy and centered in Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism. With captivating storytelling and practical advice, all delivered in Hersey’s lyrical voice and informed by her deep experience in theology, activism, and performance art, Rest Is Resistance is a call to action and manifesto for those who are sleep deprived, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of Grind Culture.

The New York Times bestselling author of Rest Is Resistance guides us on a discovery of  how to escape from grind culture, wherever we can find it. The systems will never give us rest – it is something we must create for ourselves and each other. We don’t believe we are worthy of rest unless we burn ourselves out to accomplish it. Our thinking has been limited by disconnection, sleep deprivation and the unattainable call for perfection. From visionary artist and founder of The Nap Ministry Tricia Hersey invites us to imagine a world where we subvert the narrative of productivity at all costs, and the lies of capitalism and white supremacy on which it is built, to recognize the innate divinity in all of us. Inspired by vintage hymnals, prayer books, and abolitionist pamphlets, We Will Rest! is a contemporary take on a sacred object and a liberation manual providing intimate wayfinding to those searching for rest and care. Tricia Hersey weaves together poetry, storytelling, powerful illustrations and resistance wisdom to provoke the creation of refusal strategies and trickster rebellion in the face of worker exploitation and machine-like expectations. There is another way. Focus on the escape. Focus on the transformation. We can just be. We are beautiful. We are enough. We are escape artists. We Will Rest!