Center for the literary arts in New York State
WHAT WOULD FRIDA DO?
Arianna Davis
4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 27, 2025
Conversation/Q&A
Standish Room - University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue, Albany NY 12222 See map.
Arianna Davis is the editorial director of the online presence of NBC’s TODAY show, overseeing news and lifestyle features. She was previously senior director of editorial and strategy at Oprah Daily.
A writer who explores Black and Latina subjects, she is the author of What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly (2020), a motivational book inspired by the life of artist and cultural icon Frida Kahlo. Instyle, Boston Globe, and Redbook named it a best gift book of the year. The Esquire reviewer called it “luminous” and said “Self-help meets biography in an inspiring narrative….”
Cosponsored by UAlbany’s Writing & Critical Inquiry Program (WCI), the Department of Africana, Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies (ALACLS), Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), and the Honors College.
More reviews
"A modern take on a woman who was modern beyond her time. Arianna Davis's book paints a colorful picture of the strength, courage, and love that uplifted Frida Kahlo through her many tragedies. This comprehensive look into Frida's life leads me to think that we could all learn a lesson or two from Frida." -- Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of Elle
"A passionate and insightful celebration of the life of Frida Kahlo, What Would Frida Do? applies Frida's life to modern situations in a heartfelt and fun manner readers will love!" -- Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba
“Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads, wondering, as a woman, an artist, a bold seeker, what was next for your life? … A guidebook based on the life and work of pioneering Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, this beautiful volume is sure to inspire.” -- Boston Globe
"Luminous... self-help meets biography in an inspiring narrative of what modern women can learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest artists. From Kahlo's brazen creativity to her unapologetic politics, her boldness in marriage to her lifelong battle with chronic illness, Davis explores the contemporary lessons we can mine from Kahlo's courageous way of life." -- Esquire
“This book is what happens when a memoir meets self-help as the iconic Frida Kahlo's amazing story inspires a modern day guide to loving, living and finding true happiness.”-- Business Insider
