Zetta Elliott's Blog, page 93
February 28, 2011
February 27, 2011
add your name
New York Amsterdam News
A resolution to the situation at
Medgar Evers College
Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Kevin Powell, Danny Simmons, Cornel West and others respond
Published: Thursday, February 24, 2011 12:05 AM EST
Dear Editor,
As writers and educators who have participated in literary programs at Medgar Evers College, we have viewed from afar its situation with deep concern. Medgar Evers College has long been known for its tradition and legacy of providing an educational and cultural haven for the preservation, study and celebration of the heritage, arts and traditions of Black people throughout our country and the world. Those who find it necessary to advocate on behalf of preserving this legacy and mission have the right to do so. The practice of active engagement in a cause based on one's principles is to be celebrated, not denigrated. This practice of activism forms the bedrock of our institutions of higher education.
Professor Ragland's insinuation in the Amsterdam News that this struggle to maintain the mission and integrity of Medgar Evers College is all about Dr. Greene's teaching schedule is bizarre to say the least. Dr. Greene's work as the founder of the Center for Black Literature, as the director of the National Black Writers Conference and as an educator who has demonstrated her professional commitment to Medgar Evers College and the community throughout her career is well documented. The critical issues of leadership that have been cited by many involved in the struggle to preserve Medgar Evers College's mission are broad and demand attention
There must be a resolution to this situation. Medgar Wiley Evers died advocating for the civil rights of Black citizens throughout this country. The mission of a college named in honor of his legacy and founded on the principles of activism and engagement must be preserved. We commend the broad constituency of educators, students, clergy, elected officials and community citizens from across the city of New York for their courage, conviction, commitment, tenacity and willingness to advocate for a resolution to the events and actions that have negatively impacted a college built on a foundation and tradition grounded in the struggle for social justice. This is democracy in action and should be respected.
Amiri Baraka, writer, activist, professor emeritus, SUNY Stonybrook; Edwidge Danticat, writer; Marita Golden, writer; Haki Madhubuti, poet, the Ida B. Wells-Barnett professor at DePaul University and founder and publisher of Third World Press; Kevin Powell, activist, writer; Ishmael Reed, writer, professor emeritus, University of California, Berkeley; Quincy Troupe, poet, writer, editor, Black Renaissance Noir; Sonia Sanchez, poet, writer, activist, professor emeritus, Temple University; Danny Simmons, artist, writer, chairman RUSH Philanthropic Foundation, NYSCA chairman, Crown Heights resident; Cornel West, professor, Princeton University; and John Edgar Wideman, writer, ASA Messer professor, Africana studies and literary arts, Brown University
If you haven't already signed the petition, you can do so here.
February 25, 2011
adrift
Now that I've finished Ship of Souls, I find myself drifting along…searching for something to fill the hole left by a finish manuscript. I've got plenty of grading to do, and reading for class; I just finished a last-minute application for an NEH Summer Institute on slavery and rebellion in the tropics…there's still time, if you're interested (deadline is March 1). But what I really want is to be back with my characters in their underground world…the ending is open, but I'm not ready to start the sequel now—I haven't even finished the sequel to Wish! I guess I'll do some grading, work on my conference paper, and try to dream up another book…rainy days are made for dreaming.
February 23, 2011
Laura Atkins, children's literature specialist
This is my second interview with children's literature specialist (and my good friend) Laura Atkins. If you missed my first interview with her, be sure to check it out—and stop by Laura's new blog. Most importantly, read her essay on white privilege in the children's publishing industry. And now, without further ado…
1. Many times I've told friends that I wish I could somehow "clone" you! I think you're an exceptional editor–can you tell us how you entered the publishing world and how your role has changed over time?
Thanks very much for your kind words (though a cloned me also sounds a bit creepy!).
I got into publishing soon after graduating from college in 1992. I was in the Bay Area and found out about Children's Book Press, a non-profit publisher of multicultural picture books. I was drawn to their political aims (inclusion and producing bilingual books) as well as the idea of working in children's publishing. I initially contacted them about becoming an intern, but they weren't looking at the time. A year later they got in touch with me when they were looking for an editorial assistant.
I started doing a whole lot of things – mainly going through the slush pile and supporting the then-publisher, Harriet Rohmer. It was great working at a small press, as I eventually got involved in working with designers on art direction, overseeing production (getting books printed), and had more of a role in the editorial process. I was at Children's Book Press for four years, and worked on amazing books such as In My Family by Carmen Lomas Garza, Home to Medicine Mountain by Chiori Santiago and Judith Lowry, and i see the rhythm by Toyomi Igus and Michelle Wood (which won the Coretta Scott King Award).
After that I moved to New York City where I worked as an Assistant Editor at Orchard Books for a year (working primarily on imports), and then as an Editor at Lee & Low Books for two years. At Lee & Low I managed the New Voices Award in its first year, which as you know is an award for an author of color who has not previously published a picture book. We had over 300 submissions, which to me showed the large number of authors of color out there who are trying to get published. My first book at Lee & Low was DeShawn Days by Tony Medina and Greg Christie. I really enjoyed the editorial process on all of the books I worked on. The best authors were those who enthusiastically engaged in the editorial back and forth. Ginger and Frances Park were a great example. They are sisters who run a chocolate shop in DC, but they also write books together. They wrote Where on Earth Is My Bagel?, illustrated by Grace Lin.
I eventually left publishing to come to England and study for a Masters in Children's Literature at Roehampton University, where I am now a part-time lecturer. While I loved helping to publish children's books, I got tired of the politics of the industry. Now I can work with aspiring authors, and even continue to edit children's books, but as a freelancer. I have been editing children's books for Cassava Republic Press based in Nigeria, which has been fascinating. Their aim is to publish books by African authors, and I have had to be particularly aware of how my background and experience influence my response to manuscripts. I also offer manuscript critiquing to aspiring authors, and mentor a few individuals on an on-going basis. And I run a monthly writing group. I am enjoying the opportunity to continue to work with authors and illustrators, but without the restrictions of being based at one publishing house.
2. Jacqueline Woodson (in an interview with Rhapsody in Books) recently talked about aspiring authors who submit unpolished manuscripts. How important is the revision process, and does "polishing" diminish a manuscript's originality? I think of editors who want "universal" stories and so dismiss or distort ethnically-specific narratives.
This is an interesting question. I think the revision process is crucial, and it does not necessarily require losing ethnic and cultural specificity or nuance. Part of this depends on whether you are just trying to write the best book you can, or if your main goal is to get published by a mainstream publisher.
We both know there are problems within the publishing industry, and a tendency to privilege more comfortable and so-called "universal" stories. But there are talented diverse authors being published on both sides of the pond. I would always encourage aspiring authors to revise their stories, but they should do this based on their own aims and goals. I see my job as helping people to tell the best story they want to tell, not to change it to something more universal or commercial (unless they ask me to). Perhaps the best advice would be to revise, to make the story work as well as you can, and then to try to find agents or publishers who seem open to the type of story you are trying to tell – in terms of voice, style, narrative form, etc. But I'm not going to lie. Getting published is enormously difficult, and even more so these days if you aren't submitting a book that is perceived as having large commercial appeal. Which leads to your next question about self-publishing…
3. Your clients have achieved great success so far! Why do you think this is? And what is your vision in terms of the future of publishing? I've shied away from self-publishing picture books–is that a viable option for aspiring writers?
I have been so impressed with my clients' recent achievements (though feel strange about the term client, as many have become more like friends). Two people I've worked with have been long- and shortlisted for the prestigious Chicken House Award, another shortlisted for the Brit Writers Award last year, another recently signed up with an agent, and another has had her work requested by OUP. This is because they are talented writers, and because they have put an enormous amount of work into developing their craft. They have also done their research and gotten their work out there – joining SCBWI, attending conferences, submitting for competitions (you've got to be in it to win it), submitting to agents, revising their work again and again. All but one of these people is part of my monthly writing group, so they are critiquing other people's stories as well as their own. This process is invaluable, and I would highly recommend joining a group to aspiring authors.
The future of publishing? Publishers are having to do lots of catch up on the digital front, figuring out how to get work off the printed page and use the array of new digital platforms. I think there's going to be much more room out there for people to self publish, though they will need to do a lot to be heard among the scads of other people doing the same thing. I've worked with a few people who have self published picture books. One is Navjot Kaur who set up her own publishing house in Canada, Saffron Press. She is interested in representing Sikh culture in children's books, and has done a lot of work with educators in particular to spread the word. Selu Mdlalose set up Vezani Publishing to produce books in South African languages in the UK. They have printed a high-quality board book about a zebra who loses in stripes.
Self publishing picture books used to be cost prohibitive, but I think prices have become more reasonable and people more ambitious. But you have to be fearless. You will need to do an enormous work to promote your books. Publishing in a niche is helpful here, so you can target particular people who will be interested in what you are selling.
February 22, 2011
round UP
Thanks to Nathalie at Multiculturalism Rocks! for posting this great review of Wish; this was my favorite part:
If I were to walk by a fountain after midnight and to throw a penny in it, here's the wish I'd make: For A WISH AFTER MIDNIGHT to be adapted on the big screen. I can't wait for it!
While you're there, make sure you read Nathalie's interview with Writers Against Racism founder Amy Bodden Bowllan.
Next stop: Shveta's "3 Days of Fey" feature at her LiveJournal blog. There's a fabulous interview with Karen Lord (author of Redemption in Indigo) and links to Con or Bust, the important fundraising initiative that helps to send PoC writers to speculative fiction conferences.
Last but not least, check out Dia Reeves' guest post on black speculative fiction authors at Diversity in YA Fiction:
The reason I think there are so few of us is because, for black authors, if you want to be taken seriously, you gotta write issue novels. If you write a story about slavery or civil rights or being oppressed in the ghetto or (if you're really daring) being oppressed in the suburbs, then people will love you and give you prestigious awards and breakdance when you walk down the street.
But if you're crazy like me and write about girls who don't feel that being black is particularly difficult, who don't at some point compare themselves to a white person and feel like they got the short end of the stick, who are in fact quite comfy their own skins and just want to kill monsters or bad guys and then find the nearest, hottest boy and make out with him, well … let's just say that people won't love you. They certainly won't give you prizes or do breakdances in your honor.
February 21, 2011
persist
I've been quiet lately. I'm writing the last chapter of Ship of Souls, and haven't been able to sleep through the night due to this chronic condition. I'm weary and find it so disheartening that elected officials are taking aim at my life—Planned Parenthood, teachers, unions, NPR, PBS. I don't understand how ordinary working people can vote for politicians whose sole aim is to render the people powerless. Folks overseas are in the street, fighting for democracy; we've got a democracy, and yet the rich are still calling the shots—their interests come before anyone else's. How is this possible? Many thanks to Sarah Schulman who posted this quote from the brilliant author/activist Audre Lorde:
"That you can't change City Hall is a rumor being spread by City Hall."
Don't believe the hype. Find a way to fight back. Write the stories that will set the record straight.
February 20, 2011
read-in
Today's the day! Did you read Bleeding Violet? If so, stop by Reading in Color or tweet your responses to the series of questions posted 3x today. Here are the first topics for discussion:
1. The mother-daughter relationship of Hanna and Rosalee. Did you like it, dislike it? Did a particular scene bother you especially? Did a particular scene make your heart melt in the most unexpected way? Personally, right away I figured things would be OK when Rosalee made Hanna wear raingear on her way to school but then I started to worry..
2. Who would win in a verbal exchange-Hanna's or Wyatt's mom? Oooo tough one. I'ma go with Rosalee though. She's got ice in her veins!
3. Swan. Did Swan creep you out? Is there some hidden meaning behind this wooden Swan carving? Personally I'm not one to find deeper meanings in things, but I love it when other people do. To me, Swan just makes Hanna feel closer to Poppa….
February 18, 2011
Black Comic Book Day
This is a great event coordinated by several black illustrators, including Jerry Craft—more information can be found at his website.
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 19, 2011 – Saturday, February 12, bookstores in Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit will host Black Comic Book Day to celebrate and make more widely available the work of African-American comic book writers and artists. In Chicago, four racks permanently dedicated to African-American comics have been placed at venues around the city, including one in the DuSable Museum. New York holds its Black Comic Book Day on February 19, at the Hue-Man Bookstore and Café in Harlem.
While these inaugural events are being held during Black History month, the display racks are permanent, dedicated additions to the stock offered by the hosting bookstores.
Black Comic Book Day is the brainchild of artists/writers Turtel Onli, father of "The Black Age" comic art movement, and Jerry Craft, creator of the award-winning Mama's Boyz comic strip, distributed by King Features Syndicate since 1995. The idea developed as the duo brainstormed ideas to promote their work along with that of the many other talented artists and writers in the African-American community.
Onli and Craft believe that these events will have many benefits, such as encouraging reading and providing heroes for young readers to emulate from the African-American community…
February 19th (NYC) Join syndicated cartoonists Jerry Craft (Mama's Boyz), Ray Billingsley (Curtis) and comic book writers and artists N Steven Harris (The Fringe and Ajala: A Series of Adventures), Alex Simmons (The Cartoon Life of Chuck Clayton), comic historian Professor Bill Foster and more as they unveil their rack at the Hue-Man Bookstore and Café in Harlem, 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd, between 124th and 125th Streets. The rack will also feature work by Andre Batts, David Walker, Keith Miller; Ray Billingsley, Omar Bilal, Joe Robinson Currie and Glen Brewer. For more info on the NYC event, email jerrycraft@aol.com
DOWNLOAD A FLYER OF THE PDF FOR THE NYC EVENT
February 16, 2011
shine a light
It's time once again for Nerds Heart YA! Take a moment and help to shine a light on great books that didn't get to stand in the spotlight last year. You can find complete guidelines here:
When can I nominate books?
Nominations are open from 14th February 2011 to midnight GMT on 7th March 2011.
What are the criteria ?
To qualify for Nerds Heart YA 2011 a book must:
Have been published between Jan 1st 2010 and Dec 31st 2010
Contain significant characters that fit into at least one of the seven categories of under represented groups that the Nerds Heart YA organisers have identified, or have been written by an author who comes from within one of these groups of people
Be young adult fiction
Be a book that you feel has been under represented by book blog coverage
How do I nominate books?
Follow the link through to the nomination form and fill it out. You will need to fill out a separate form for each book nominated.
Doret's got a complete wrap-up of the week's news over at The Happy Nappy Bookseller, so stop by…
February 13, 2011
great interview with Jacqueline Woodson
After being up all night sneezing, it was nice to sit down with a cup of tea and read this interview with Jacqueline Woodson over at Rhapsody in Books:
RIB: As author Neesha Meminger recently wrote, "there is a vast plethora of novels showing the full gamut of the white, heterosexual, able-bodied, middle/upper-middle class teen experience. In terms of racial representation, there are white characters in horror, fantasy, romance, historical, and whatever other genres exist on bookshelves, while teens of colour are offered a limited array of options." Given that whiteness and heterosexuality are apparently considered "the norm" for marketing purposes, what is your opinion of publishing opportunities for authors of color? Do you see much commitment to diversity?
JW: I actually don't think of whiteness and heterosexuality as 'the norm'. Maybe there are people who still do but none of them are close friends of mine. I think the endeavor toward diversity is everywhere – but 'commitment' – I don't know. Because it is a commitment and while I think a lot of people have their hearts in the right place, the work is hard and long and some people give up. I was in the big bookstore here in Park Slope today – (just looking, not buying) and I was surprised to see this tiny Black History Month table –(with books like The Souls Of Black Folks – 'hello, we've written other books since then!!" and a few newer ones on it. Then I went to the teen section and none of the books turned out were by people of color. It was quite a bummer – We can give this situation a thousand reasons, a thousand excuses, but the truth is – something is 'not' happening and it would be great to work toward changing that.
