Collective Action

Much to my great pleasure, I have recently been accepted into a Black women’s writing collective. Last night, we had our second in-person meeting, and tonight I am still buzzing from it.

I used to be in a group for writers of color that met monthly. We critiqued each others’ work, hyped each other up, supported folks’ movement toward their goals. At least six friends from that group have gone on to have first novels published (and two are entering the second-novel circle now). Covid pretty much squelched the group. We met a few times over Zoom, but it just didn’t work.

I’ve been missing the group, missing the energy that a group can generate. When I saw the application for the collective, it felt like exactly the opportunity I’d been craving. And so, of course, I promptly decided I shouldn’t apply because why on earth would they take me and who did I think I was? Sigh. La Impostora is always ready to rear her grotesque and annoyingly effective head. But then, I was able to shove her out of the way and get my application submitted … And here I am.

One of the things that has had me buzzing all day is connection and camaraderie. I felt warmth and excitement and care for and from this group of women from our first Zoom. And meeting in person has made those feelings settle beneath my skin, settle into my heart. The ways we look out for one another and make and hold space for one another even now, before we know each other anything like well … It’s beautiful. It feels powerful.

The inspiration for the collective is the group of Black women writers who came together in the 70s in support of one another’s careers. The group included not-yet-bright-lights such as Toni Morrison, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, and June Jordan. Our group is larger, and some members have already entered their bright-light phase. I love the idea of building and growing with these women, and I’m looking forward to knowing all of them better and better.

We have a clearly delineated project in front of us — an anthology that will be published by year’s end — and it’s good to have writing deadlines for that project. But I applied to this group for something more. And last night made me see that yes, we are on the same page: excited for the anthology, excited to publish alongside these fascinating women … but here for the ongoing collective, here to form a group that carries on beyond this book we’re making. Last night’s time together felt like lock cylinders were falling into place, like we have cracked a combination and are about to swing the door open wide.

Edited to add this pic of me, in full double-handed talking mode, waxing poetic about … something. 😊

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