She was grossed out that she had to even be in the same room as women with “it”. For example, she freaked out before an public speaking event with HIV-positive women at a women’s prison. Sister Souljah came off as hyperjudgemental. Souljah made herself and her way of living the standard. She preached at Winter, as well as the audience and the youth girls group. Sister Souljah’s literary self could make issues sound impactful, but all she did – literally – was talk. After a second read, though, I realized how full of shit this fictionalized Sister Souljah was. I believed she should’ve just listened to Souljah’s advice and guidance. The first time I read this, I thought that Winter was a brick. These are my hot takes I believe TCWE wasn’t the cautionary tale for young Black people that Sister Souljah intended it to be. I noticed some very problematic themes and storylines reading it a second time after a few years had passed. I got some new insights about this book that I never even noticed the first time around. So when its sequel, Life After Death, came out back in March, I knew I’d have to refresh by re-reading The Coldest Winter Ever. I was always intrigued about what would happen after Winter’s mandatory 15-year sentence. Regardless of our backgrounds, there is a crossroads going from a girl to becoming a woman. She showcased how we all thought about things when we were seventeen. Winter was raw, unapologetic, and she represented many young girls in a fundamental way. When I first read The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah many years ago, I was blown away by Winter Santiaga’s story. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah wasn’t the cautionary tale it was meant to be
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