Hey Troublemakers,
I know there are serious issues of injustice running rampant in our communities, in our states, and all across the country and of course, the world. I know that looking at your phone could elicit cries of horror and panic, of hearing news of the latest mass shooting or police lynching. I know that for every picture of a friends baby’s first birthday party or post about a puppy befriending a lion (!!!) there is a real likelihood of seeing something on the internet that will make you mad.
So when we see something good, likely truly undeniably good, it can feel so shocking.
Travel back in time with me to last Thursday. I get a comment on a post from Mariah (thanks, Mariah!!) that reads “LOVE that they mention your book on the latest episode of @belairpeacock 🙌🏾”
After I read Mariah’s comment I thought she must have the wrong book/author!
Friends, when I tell you I ran to my tv I need you to imagine me using every bit of adrenaline in my body to hurl me from my office into my living room. I’ll bet I set a new record. I decided to watch from the beginning. One commercial break later, there it was. THE SCENE. As I saw the scene unfold I thought it must just be in a stack of books or on a shelf in the library. Never in my dreams did I imagine it would be named specifically. The original Ashley Banks playing a teacher in the new Ashley' Banks’ school - providing not just mentorship to new Ashley but also highlighting the work of other Black women writers (like ME!).
If you’ve read I’m Still Here, you might remember that I did not have a Black woman for a teacher until I was in college. I will never forget the times she made me feel seen, made my life and my experiences feel centered, pushed in from the margins so many others were comfortable with them existing. She did for me what I hoped my book would do for other Black women. So while it is super cool that it was a scene on a show like Bel Air, it was also so much deeper than that. I have been both Ashleys in this scene. Most Black women I know have been as well. Both the one looking out for ways to see and the one so desperately wanting to be seen.
And the fact that it aired right before my young readers version releases was *chefs kiss*. I hope so many more scenes like this play out in schools and libraries and beyond.
I hope the centering of Black women and girls keeps getting its rightful air time.
Sometimes we wonder if our efforts are making any difference? If anything we did last year or last month or last week still matters. I cannot tell you how it feels to see the little green book continue to make her way in the world 5 years after being released. Our efforts matter and they carry farther than we may ever know.
A FEW LINKS FOR LEARNING + DOING
JOIN… my book launch team (I’ll be announcing who will be joining me for some exclusive virtual conversations soon - you will not want to miss it!)
READ… The time to panic about anti-trans legislation is now
AND THEN READ… this article about the importance of intersectionality (and why its more important than ever that we stand up against all injustice together)
LISTEN… to a sneak peak WHOLE CHAPTER of my new book!
