Love Note #1: September 2024 Newsletter
A 40th Birthday Month For the Ages.
I saw the ocean today. She says ‘hello.’
Sigh. My birth month is coming to an end and wow has it been epic.
My tarot card reading for the month was “The Hermit.” This card represents deep introspection, being alone, meditation, soul searching, and solitude. It was such a timely call for me because I have been worn down from the book tour this year and felt like I needed to get grounded in my body and my spirit.
Each year since I turned 35 years old, I have started really celebrating my birthday explicitly. Growing up, my birthday was always an afterthought. I had two narcissistic parents who made every day about them. My birthday was never something special. Now, I take time to reclaim that day, for me, for my loved ones, and for my ancestors.
This year, I decided, along with my best friend and comrade adventurer, to go to Barranquilla, Colombia. We invited our besties and took to South America for what I’ve been calling my birth month “pilgrimage.”
It was so incredible to be in South America. This was my first “ real” trip out of the country. I discovered that I am nearly fluent in Spanish (thanks Duolingo!). I tasted flavors that I’ve never tasted before and walked a land that my feet have never known. The culture of the people was rich. In Cartagena, the morning air smelled of fruit and baked goods each day. I can’t describe how beautiful the architecture, people, and land were, how they reminded me of a Creator who must love us to give us such color and texture.
I wore short shorts every day and chased every body of cool water. It was over ninety degrees each day we were there. I’m not even sure the humidity was measurable at that point. What’s humidity above 100%? Because it was very that.
It was also interesting navigating Barranquilla in phenotypically darker skin and a large frame amongst many people who saw me as “American” above anything else. My best friend (another Black woman) and I encountered racism from Uber drivers. At one point, a driver wouldn’t let us into the vehicle, leaving his doors locked until our Guatemalan comrade spoke to him in Spanish. We were watched, followed, and questioned more frequently than other shoppers and patrons. The anti-Blackness we faced dampened some of the excitement.
Being on another continent and overcoming my anxieties to take this adventure are major milestones for me. I didn’t get my passport until I was 32 years old. It was for a conference in Montreal, and even that felt like I was traveling across the world back then. Before this, I’ve only ever been to Mexico and Canada. Part of me has always been afraid of being somewhere new, not knowing the language, and feeling too anxious to push through. But, this trip proved to all those past versions of me that I can absolutely do anything. Everything I need is already in me. I just had to believe it.
It has been so amazing over this past year to spend time getting to know myself again. I’ve been romantically single (but still platonically married) and celibate with the intention of getting grounded in who I am and what I want for myself. This has been a year to focus and really figure who I am and who I intend to become. I’m excited to start this journey on Substack, cataloguing this new stage of being.
Welcome to the adventure.
xoxo, Dr. J
Political Notes:
I’ve been increasingly concerned about Project 2025 and what it means for everyday citizens. The document works to eradicate many of the wins queer and trans organizers and activists have secured over the last forty years. In particular, the agenda focuses in on LGBTQIA+ people, seeking to erase our existence completely. They have explicit language focused on banning words like “gender,” “sexuality,” “sexual orientation,” and “gender equality.” The report threatens federal prosecution for practitioners and care workers who offer services to queer and trans youth. Importantly, Project 2025 seeks to equate queerness/transness with pornography.
I discuss Project 2025 with YES! Senior Editor Sonali Kolhatkar on YES! Presents: Rising Up With Sonali. Watch the video and mobilize against Project 2025.
Book Notes:
I’m excited to be in conversation with Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone at the Decatur Book Festival on October 5th.
Time: 3:00 – 3:45 PM
Event details:
A love letter to those who have been minimized and forgotten through a collection of essays that reposition Black women’s intellectual and political work at the center of today’s liberation movements. A vital and galvanizing history of abortion and how its stigma is intrinsically connected to racism and systemic oppression, told from the viewpoint of people of color.
For a new generation of movement organizers and Black feminists, authors Jenn M. Jackson, Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone speak on how written perspectives shape the ongoing debate around reproductive freedom, Black feminism and how readers of all backgrounds can activate to create a more just world for everyone.
Learn more about the event here.
Writing Notes:
I’ll be teaching with Roots. Wounds. Words. for the first time this fall!
Workshop Title: Non-Fiction Publishing 101
Workshop Description:
Getting a book published is an exciting and daunting task. In this workshop, storytellers and authors will learn the ins and outs of the non-fiction book publishing process especially as it pertains to writing for audiences of color, queer readers, and other non-normative groups.
For many first-time authors, it may be hard to identify the fundamental components of the pitching process or what essential materials are required before approaching a publisher.
.During each session of this workshop, storytellers will work collaboratively to craft submission materials, creating a polished publishing package. At the end of this workshop series, storytellers will walk away with a fully-drafted book proposal, a strong query letter, and a plan for finding and pitching the right agent.
Saturdays, Oct 19 - Dec 7, 2024 // 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET (excluding 11/16 and 11/30)
Registration closes on Saturday, October 5th. Register HERE.
This workshop is held online via Zoom.
Podcast Notes:
We’ve dropped a new episode of That Black Couple. In this episode, we bring the heat with a rundown of recent events and topics we missed while I was away celebrating their 40th birthday.
The episode kicks off with a discussion on COVID-19, highlighting the resurgence of cases and the importance of continuing to take precautions. In the next segment, we dive into the political landscape, focusing on Vice President Kamala Harris's run for president. We discuss the challenges she faces, reflect on the significance of her candidacy, dissect the complexities of supporting a political figure who embodies both progress and problematic policies. The conversation then shifts to the controversy surrounding Rachel Ray Gunn's breakdancing performance at the Olympics, unpacking how the “Rachel Dolezal of breakdancing” has impacted the perception of breakdancing as a sport. To close out the conversation, we tackle the heavy topic of Diddy's legal troubles, discussing the allegations of abuse and the broader implications for the music industry.
We close things out discussing the merits and pitfalls of Netflix movies "The Deliverance" and "Rebel Ridge," sharing why Aaron Pierre is our next Black action hero but someone might need to check in on Glenn Close.
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