Content Warning: This section of the guide contains references to racism, white supremacy, and systemic injustice.

Tricia Hersey, the author of Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto, emerges as a pivotal figure whose life and work embody the book’s core themes of dismantling the oppressive dynamics of capitalism and white supremacy through the radical act of rest. Hersey, with her rich academic background in theology and her role as the founder of the Nap Ministry, brings a unique perspective to the discourse on rest as a form of resistance against the white supremacist structures that govern modern society.

Hersey’s journey into rest advocacy is deeply rooted in her personal experiences with exhaustion and the relentless demands of productivity inherent in capitalist culture. Having navigated the pressures of graduate school and the constant fear of racial discrimination, Hersey turned to rest as a means of survival and resistance, which laid the groundwork for what would become the Nap Ministry. This initiative focuses on the liberating power of rest and challenges the toxic grind culture that prioritizes productivity over people’s well-being.

Her academic endeavors, particularly in theology, have significantly shaped her understanding and critique of systemic injustices.