Love Note #6: February 2025 Recap
Black History Month was gone too soon.
Despite the state of the world, this past February was truly epic. The orange demon in the White House attempted to eradicate Black History Month but we are unerasable. Beyonce won her first Album of the Year Grammy, an accolade that was far overdue. And, Kendrick Lamar won the Super Bowl. While I hold deep critiques of both artists and their choices, I can also recognize how symbolic those experiences were for many Black people.
For me, Black History Month was deeply meaningful. In my last Love Note, I shared that I was lucky enough to be a part of the first ever Zora Neale Hurston Summit on the first of February. That was a good omen for the events coming in February. I had an amazing opportunity to go home and visit friends and family. The weekend of Valentine’s Day, I had my first event back in my hometown of Oakland. It was intimate, personal, and restorative. My mother attended a book talk, at Womb House Books, for the first time. My aunts and best friend were with me. I felt so at home and connected to the land that made me.
I haven’t been back in three years. The last time I visited, my best friend was recovering from brain surgery after discovering a tumor. It was terrifying. It was also just one year after losing my grandmother. These experiences have been challenging me with regards to my relationship to home, but I’m so grateful for the patience and care of my community. Being back was a balm. It was a lesson in healing that I didn’t know I needed.
February was a season of respite in many ways. It was a time to lean into affirmation, positive self talk, and the excitement of coming out anew on the other side of some pretty traumatic years. As a creative person who has been untethered from my home places and home communities, it has been difficult to remain present and grounded in my purpose and goals. Depression and anxiety throw me back and forth like a rag doll at times. Yet I am proud that, despite navigating one of the busiest and stressful few years of my life, promoting my first book, navigating the tenure track, and being Black, queer, and trans in a world that wants those words and people to disappear, I am still here. I am building the world I wish to see. And, I am curating community everywhere I go.
I’ve also been finding home places among my students and local community. In February, I was invited to give the keynote Black History Month talk for the Maxwell Faculty of Color at Syracuse University. The event was very well-attended and gave me an opportunity to share Black Women Taught Us with a broader group of faculty and students. One of my students, Shariden Truly - a master’s student at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, recorded the event and interviewed me for NCC news (video below).
Seeing the ways my students have engaged with this work has been so inspiring and gratifying for me. When I wrote my book, I had no way of imagining all the interpretations and resonances that would emerge for my readers. From young nonbinary folks thanking me for writing about our existences to older Black women overwhelmed to see their heroes on the cover of this book, it has been an incredible ride.
A few days ago, a colleague from Syracuse University alerted me to the fact that my book was the subject of the Sunday sermon at a local Universalist church. This is probably the most surprising and unexpected engagement with my work to-date. That isn’t because the work isn’t incredible and deserving. Instead, it is because, during this tumultuous and violent time, I rarely see white people (or men) at my book talks, in-person events, or posting about my book. In some instances, they have outright told me that my book wasn’t written for them.
There is something astounding about seeing this congregation engaging with a book about a Black queer, trans, and disabled girl from Oakland. I’m going to hold onto it. Not because I am giving these white folks extra credit for doing something as simple as embracing and engaging with stories outside of their own. But, because I am honored to be on this journey, one where I have fearlessly told my story and others have graciously witnessed the telling.
xoxo, Dr. J
Book Notes:
I am excited to be able to provide more signed copies of Black Women Taught Us at local Black, Brown, women, and queer owned bookstores all over the country. Right now, you can find signed copies at Womb House Books in Oakland, CA. They ship all over the country. If you’re local to the Syracuse area and would like to pick up a signed copy of Black Women Taught Us, stop by the beautiful, tranquil Parthenon Books in downtown.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to support local indie bookstores. When you buy my book, please avoid the big box retailers like Walmart and Target. Also avoid online warehouses like Amazon.
Our support of local bookstores keeps them alive. In this political moment, we need to be intentional and thoughtful about what our support means and who benefits most.
New Podcast Announcement!
I have been discussing the unique challenges facing first-time Black women and queer authors both here and on my various social media platforms. Unfortunately, large podcasts, book promoters, and publishers often overlook first-timers. Not only that, many authors find themselves confronting the hidden expectations in publishing only after they have embarked on the process. For many authors at the intersections of race, gender, and class, these barriers can be significant enough to keep them out of the industry altogether.
To help make this process smoother for new and aspiring Black women and queer authors, I am launching a new podcast called We Published, Beloved! I will be interviewing new and seasoned authors about their earliest experiences with publishing.
When should someone secure an agent and how?
What is the pitching process like?
What are the expectations of authors on book tours?
We’ll be answering these questions and more. Season 1 drops on May 5th, 2025!
Follow We Published, Beloved! on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads for updates.
Podcast Notes:
In this episode, we celebrate the milestone of reaching 2025 with an untraditional year-in-review format, reflecting on the tumultuous events of 2024. We kick things off by sharing our personal and podcasting achievements, including my book launch and our feature in The Huffington Post.
We also look ahead to the future of the podcast, announcing exciting changes including the transition to a video format and the launch of the new podcast "We Published, Beloved!", focused on supporting Black and queer authors. Tap in!
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