Like so many of us, Christine Platt was once overwhelmed by how messy and disorganized her life was. Not finding what she needed in mainstream minimalism, Platt came up with an innovative new solution: Afrominimalism, a refreshing practice that focuses less on simply getting rid of things and more on maintaining respect for your history, your culture, and yourself.
Platt’s breakthrough was born of a combination of her academic background in African and African American studies and her own lived experiences. As she struggled with the untidiness in her own home, she eventually came to realize that we clutter our lives, consciously or not, with physical objects, activities, and responsibilities that we don’t really need as a way of proving our worth to ourselves and others. Afrominimalism is a way of identifying what is truly important and discarding the rest.
Platt first gained widespread acclaim with her bestseller The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less, a groundbreaking treatise on how to go beyond the surface-level aesthetics of minimalism to achieve true peace. Her latest nonfiction book, Less Is Liberation, builds on these lessons and emphasizes that true minimalism must account for more than material possessions: it also means reevaluating your priorities and making room for yourself.
She also writes fiction for both adults and children. “Frankie and Friends” is a charming children’s book series about a young Black girl who aspires to follow in her reporter mother’s footsteps. An adult dystopian novel, Keepers of Random Things, is currently in progress.
Platt has spoken at a variety of prominent venues around the world, including the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Clean Power Institute’s Annual Summit, Camp Yoshi in Japan, Mason & Fifth in London, and many other events focused on personal fulfillment and improvement.
