
Note - Due to my travel schedule, I will not post a blog for the month of April.
As I considered my theme for this month's blog, I thought of a symposium I attended at the end of Black History Month where award-winning author Jesmyn Ward was interviewed (see my Events Page for images). I learned about her upbringing and her motivation for constructing the characters in her novels.
Jesmyn's (if I may be so informal) personal writing journey provided plenty of inspiration, as did the fact that she looks like me. I'm not referring to our striking resemblance (which I hadn't noticed until I examined photos taken of us at the book signing table). I'm referring to the fact that she is a woman author of color, and she's exceled in the daunting arena of traditional publication.
Speaking of inspiration, I'm always motivated by a good read. Even when the work isn't stellar, I'm still encouraged because I think I can do better. While I'm not often plagued with writer's block, I occasionally suffer from procrastination. I justify my procrastination by telling myself that I need a relatively clear and calm mind before sitting down for a good writing session, which means cleaning out my inbox so I don't feel as though I've got a million tasks hanging over me. Sometimes, though, it's hard to transition from dispensing with the bulk of my to-do list to putting pen to paper, or fingertips to keyboard. That's when I turn to reading to stimulate my writing mojo, whether it's my latest issue of Writer's Digest or Poets & Writers, or one of those dark memoirs stored on my e-reader.
But I digress a little—the point I'm making about Jesmyn's live interview is that it hearkens to the mantra representation matters. Our current Administration, along with corporations around the country, have vowed to do away with just about every aspect of diversity and inclusiveness, including MLK Day and Black History Month, whether by defunding or decree. Never mind the removal of African American History (aka American History) from teaching institutions. It seems a large portion of our population is uncomfortable with recognizing that much of this Nation's history has been whitewashed when it comes to the oppression Blacks and Native Americans have endured for centuries. Many also find the contributions these populations made to build and sustain this country incredulous. And yet folks like me often work twice as hard to get ahead through merit, determination, and a solid work ethic even in the face of significant headwinds.
Representation matters—if no one looks like me, it's hard to stay motivated in the face of adversity. Diversity is the basis on which our founding principles were generated; it's what makes this country strong.