The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me

From the disability rights advocate and creator of the #DisabledAndCute viral campaign, a thoughtful, inspiring, and charming collection of essays exploring what it means to be black and disabled in a mostly able-bodied white America.

Keah Brown loves herself, but that hadn’t always been the case. Born with cerebral palsy, her greatest desire used to be normalcy and refuge from the steady stream of self-hate society strengthened inside her. But after years of introspection and reaching out to others in her community, she has reclaimed herself and changed her perspective.

In The Pretty One, Brown gives a contemporary and relatable voice to the disabled — so often portrayed as mute, weak, or isolated. With clear, fresh, and light-hearted prose, these essays explore everything from her relationship with her able-bodied identical twin (called “the pretty one” by friends) to navigating romance; her deep affinity for all things pop culture — and her disappointment with the media’s distorted view of disability; and her declaration of self-love with the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute.

By “smashing stigmas, empowering her community, and celebrating herself” (Teen Vogue), Brown and The Pretty One aim to expand the conversation about disability and inspire self-love for people of all backgrounds.

“[Brown's] honest essays force those of us who are able-bodied and white and privileged in a host of different ways to confront our own biases...and ultimately to celebrate her compelling voice.... [A] game-changer." Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light

“This inspiring collection introduces a charming and meditative new voice. Keah Brown’s The Pretty One is a welcome addition to the conversation on self-love.” Deepak Chopra

"Keah Brown is a force to be reckoned with, and The Pretty One is a soaring debut....get ready to feel all the feelings, for here is an important new voice." Esmé Weijun Wang, New York Times bestselling author of The Collected Schizophrenias and The Border of Paradise

Keah Brown is a journalist, freelance writer, and activist. She has written about living with cerebral palsy in Teen Vogue, Essence, Catapult, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, and other publications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the State University of New York at Fredonia and she has a love for popular culture and cheesecake. She lives in New York with her family.

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