In the Middle with Angela Nissel
“Hey! I’m still here! My foot hurts from kicking open this door, dammit! Help me out, too!”
AHWM: How old are you?
ANGELA NISSEL: 48
AHWM: At what age did you consider yourself to be midlife?
ANGELA NISSEL: 48, lol. I just started feeling it.
AHWM: What’s your personal definition of this stage of life?
ANGELA NISSEL: The second “teen phase” minus the angst, lol. I’m still overwhelmed by how much I’m figuring out MYSELF. You mean my mom didn’t have it all figured out at this age?
AHWM: What do you believe are the biggest challenges faced by Black women in their middle age?
ANGELA NISSEL: Finding space to just be. To care for our needs. So many times I find I’m uncomfortable with rest because I was raised “work twice as hard to get half as far” - like we constantly have to prove ourselves. It’s hard to feel vulnerable and make our needs known in spaces. Despite the push for diversity and inclusion, a lot of folks still get defensive when you talk about Black women’s specific needs, like they’re mad they’re not the same as White women’s.
AHWM: What have you found to be the most rewarding aspects of midlife so far?