14: No Weapon Formed Against us Shall Prosper: An Accounting of Weaponized Self-Care and Using it as a Weapon

This chapter explores the complex role of self-care in the lives of women of color. Originally a tool for healing and resistance, self-care is often co-opted by oppressive systems and weaponized, shifting the burden of burnout onto individuals. The authors critique mainstream, commodified self-care narratives while reclaiming it as an act of defiance and survival. Through storytelling and cultural analysis, the chapter redefines self-care as both a shield and a weapon—empowering and protective when practiced with intention. It urges readers to reconsider self-care in the context of systemic demands, emotional labor, and the need for radical preservation.