This month we're reading Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a bold account of the author’s experience with our nation’s troubled history and current crisis, told through a letter written to his adolescent son. We couldn’t agree with Toni Morrison more - "this is required reading.”
Audrey Lorde: Self-Care Is Political Warfare
This quote is one that we have always kept close to our hearts, but fear that it is often oversimplified. It’s beneficial to understand the history and context behind Audre Lorde’s words before diving into our own interpretations. The first step in building a foundation of understanding for this quote is conceptualizing ‘radical self-care,’ an act that calls for the attentiveness to one’s individual mind and body. Speaking within social norms, women are socialized to care for others. By caring for oneself, a woman can confront the stereotype that she solely exists to give her time and energy to her surrounding environment. Self-care builds sustainable revolutions and social movements—ones that are upheld by individuals built to last. Self-care is ‘revolutionary,’ because it works against oppression and forms of discrimination that attempt to undermine particular identities.
Good Reads: Black Publishing Power
Racial disparity and discrimination in publishing was exposed with the #PublishingPaidMe hashtag as Black authors urged white authors to list the advances they received for their debut books. The results showed that white authors, some with no prior writing experience, frequently receive bigger advances than Black authors. As a response, Amistad Books created the Black Publishing Power initiative to encourage readers to buy two books this week by Black authors with the goal to Blackout the NYT bestsellers lists with Black voices.
We are highlighting some engaging, gorgeous and educational books written by Black authors that are guaranteed to inspire. Join us in supporting this campaign and consider adding two (or more!) from our reading list to yours.