Brown Skin Girl
An Indian-American Woman's Magical Journey from Broken to Beautiful
My Memoir
When sixteen-year-old Mytrae Meliana and her family emigrate from India to the U.S., she is determined to avoid the arranged marriage her family expects her to have, and to create her own destiny. But when she falls in love with an American man, her family drags the talented graduate student back to India and keeps her hostage.
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Mytrae suddenly finds herself heartbroken and trapped in her homeland, where women’s fates are decided for them. But that isn’t her only challenge. She must decide: live a lie and keep the secret she’d rather forget, or dare to break with centuries-old tradition and forge a path of her own.
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This multicultural inspirational memoir by an award-winning writer is about how family loves and wounds each other, about how immigrants are torn between cultures, and about leaving everything to find yourself. At times heartbreaking, at times triumphant, Brown Skin Girl is a testament to freedom, love, and the magic that finds you when you follow your heart.
Shona Patel
author of Teatime for the Firefly and Flame Tree Road
“A riveting memoir of truth and beauty. Mytrae Meliana goes where few writers dare to tread. In Brown Skin Girl she crosses the boundaries of race and culture to shine light on ancient taboos and secrets festering inside a family, only to emerge strong and radiant.“
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Adair Lara
author of Naked, Drunk, and Writing
“A young woman from India’s compelling, joyful, stunningly articulate tale of leaving family dictates and stifling cultural restrictions to come to America and find—herself.“
Pamela S. Alexander, PhD
author of Initiation of the Soul: Myths and Fairy Tales as a Path of Awakening to Freedom and Wholeness
“Brown Skin Girl is an inspiring, lyrically-written memoir that will transport you from the traditional sights and sounds of India to the dreams of freedom in America. Mytrae Meliana repeatedly challenges beliefs that don’t align with her heart and soul, and courageously frees herself from generations of unquestioned loyalty to the past to create a life of her own.“