Love Note #7: March 2025 Recap
Women's History Month was lovely and restorative.
It’s been almost three months since the orange demon stepped back into the White House. In these few weeks, he has worked to dismantle the entire global economy, criminalize queerness and transness, enact state-sanctioned xenophobia, and undo any progress made for civil rights in the past five decades. We are all witnessing a collapse of our social safety nets and the degradation of justice for people who express their political views. None of these issues can be understated.
In times like these, I find myself reminding my students that language matters. What we say about this moment matters. We are no longer witnessing “deportations.” People (citizens and migrants, alike) are being abducted by the U.S. government. Students are being rounded up on campuses for speaking out about the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people and professors are fleeing the country as it spirals toward authoritarianism.
I find myself avoiding the news at all costs. Headlines read like satire. SNL jokes have begun writing themselves. And, I honestly don’t have the spoons to hold all of the shit that is rolling down the hill from billionaire tech moguls down onto regular U.S. citizens. We are not okay. And, I say this to make clear that it is okay to not be okay.
It is completely logical to be depleted, exhausted, fatigued, and tired. If your life feels anything like mine, sleep is probably restless and days are perpetually stressful. I don’t have any answers for this. There are no quick solutions to addressing systemic violence of the highest order.
So, all I have right now is patience and maybe a bit of grace. Patience with myself and others as we all do our best to survive this moment. Grace for the times when it gets to be too much and the world feels as if it is lying on our shoulders.
I know I am struggling. I hope I don’t make too many mistakes but I’m sure I will. And, I’m working on forgiving myself because in this moment, I am doing my absolute best. You are, too. That’s all we can ask of ourselves right now.
xoxo, Dr. J
Book Notes:
During Women’s History Month, I stopped by my local indie bookstore in Syracuse, Parthenon Books, to sign a few copies of Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism. I also had a book talk with my dear friend Dr. Norrell Edwards.
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. Do the best you can to 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.
Learn about future events at my website.
Writing Notes:
In March, I also spent some time reflecting on the ways that Black Americans have been engaging with celebrities and influencers who develop “radical” brands but whose politics do not truly align with the political messaging of their platforms.
For Yes! Magazine, I wrote “No Kendrick Lamar, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” a critically honest reflection of Black capitalism, the sacrifices it demands, and the importance of looking to our own communities for liberation. Read the full article here.
This May, I will be co-hosting a virtual spring writing workshop via my media company Colored Convos Media, LLC. REGISTER HERE!
News Notes:
I was on the Bad Queers podcast with Kris and Shana, a vulnerable and joy-filled conversation where I reflected on coming into my own queerness, healing the Aquarius mother wound, and (sapphically) setting boundaries that are aligned with the expansive ways Black women in my life have taught me to show up for myself and relate to others.
I’m officially a Bad Queer y’all! Watch the full episode on YouTube.
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.
How do I find a writing mentor?
Should I self-publish?
What are the expectations of new authors?
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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