Zetta Elliott's Blog, page 99

who's more sensitive?

When you get unsolicited advice from a stranger, it's best not to react hastily.  I'm trying to coordinate a symposium in Toronto next year; right now it's tentatively called "Still Searching for Mirrors: Multicultural Children's Literature in Canada."  I made up an outline in which I ask some questions and fill in some blanks; I've listed possible panels and filled them with librarians, scholars, authors, educators, and activists.  I emailed this outline to a bunch of people in Canada, and so far I've either gotten a positive response or no response at all (mostly the latter).  This morning a well-intending individual responded to my request for help by suggesting that I should "be careful in calling Canadian publishing racist."  He went on to point to one particular Canadian press that he thinks is doing "some pretty amazing stuff."

It might surprise him to know that I also have respect for that particular press—which is why I didn't call that press "racist."  In fact, I didn't call ANYONE racist.  Ever since seeing that great Ill Doctrine video on differentiating between people and their behavior, I've tried to be diplomatic and refrain from saying so-and-so or such-and-such press is "racist."  JSmooth is right—when you do that, everybody gets up in arms and falls all over themselves rushing to defend so-and-so or such-and such press who couldn't possibly be racist!  Of course, not calling someone racist doesn't mean you're willing to erase racism from the conversation.  It just means you're choosing to focus on the particular behaviors or practices that are creating inequity based on race.

The panel in question is actually titled, "Responding to Racism in the Canadian Publishing Industry."  In my mind, this suggests a few things:

1. Racism exists in the Canadian publishing industry.  See my stats here.

2. People are actively responding to this situation (not languishing as victims), and we can probably learn from their example if we're seeking to develop strategies for creating greater equity.  I thought it would help to hear from  self-published authors of color and those who started their own press rather than deal with the traditional system.

3. Those "people" responding to racism may also include certain outstanding publishers—like the "pretty amazing" one mentioned before, and the newly formed McKellar & Martin—that recognize we've got a long way to go before publishers truly serve all the young readers in Canada.

We've already established that I'm not a "sweet" person; I'm a Scorpio, I can be hard-headed, and I resent the implication that the potential sensitivity of Canadian publishers ought to be a factor in designing this symposium.  Of course, I do want them to participate, but if they refuse on the grounds that I called them racist—when I didn't—then they probably weren't worth inviting anyway.  I've been having a productive (and highly entertaining) conversation with a black woman publisher in Canada (yes, that's right—there's a black woman publisher in Canada!) and hope to feature her and her press in the not-too-distant future.  For now, I've got an abstract to finish…

party time!

Tonight's holiday book party was AWESOME!  Thanks so much to Luc and Shara and their fabulous kids for hosting us at Daddy's Basement Bookstore—it was great to meet Christopher Grant (he had the audience cracking up with his perfect rendition of a Caribbean father), and to see Rita and Kekla again.  We had a full house, and even though I got doused with egg nog, I owe some of these great photos to that very same eager reader.  Thanks to Ibi and Rosa and everyone else for coming out in the cold!  And to Dr. Greene and her students for sharing their own picture books–there's lots of talent out there and many stories waiting to be told!  If you weren't able to make the party, signed copies of our books are available at the store—so stop by!

come party with us!

Just a final reminder that tonight is our Holiday Book Party at Daddy's Basement Bookstore.  Dr. Brenda Greene's Black Children's Literature students will be holding their final class in the store, so don't be dismayed if the place seems packed; we'll start the readings around 7pm when the class wraps up.  And later this week, you can support one of the very few black-owned publishing companies, Just Us Books, by attending this great Kwanzaa party in NJ:

stickers are scary

But sometimes you just have to go for it:

Do you know about Amma?  She immediately came to mind when I needed a symbol of compassion…

Sunday art

I pretty much owe PBS a percentage of my earnings as an artist—so much of their programming inspires me, angers me, informs me.  I am a member, but $60 a year doesn't begin to pay back the debt I owe.  Right now I'm watching Sunday Arts, one of my favorite shows b/c even though I *live* in NYC, I often don't know what exhibits are currently showing at the dozens of galleries and art spaces across the city.  I need to see The Global Africa Project at the Museum of Arts and Design, but right now I'm totally immersed in the world of puppets—do try to see Peter & the Wolf.  I made the cat my profile pic on Facebook—I just love it!  The duck doesn't make it to the end, so be careful sharing this with kids.  But it's so beautiful—his only friends are two birds, one of which is unable to fly due to a broken wing (sound familiar?).  I especially loved the moment when Peter decides to avenge his duck-friend: the mittens are coming off!  You can watch it in parts on You Tube.

So I finally decided that I can't become paralyzed with indecision—I just have to make a choice and move forward.  So blue camel scene it is!  I used my handmade paper to blot out the wine paint, but will have to think of a way to create a break with the previous page—maybe a stencil using gold paint?  I'm also looking for a gold border for my Ethiopian Madonna with Child; on the opposite page I need an image to represent "within every child God has planted a seed."  Right.

Still waiting to see how my globs of orange glitter look when they're dry…I'm expecting they'll flatten out; then I'll think about how to add orange scent.  The parchment paper is green, but you can't really tell in this photo.  Am hoping to find gold braid or ribbon that I can use to frame the text and image…

signs & symbols

I found another cowrie shell today—once again, less than a block away from my front door.  Is it a sign?  I think so (of course).  I'm always trying to read the signs, to make sense of my preferences…last night as Rosa and I watched the Mark Morris Dance Group's The Hard Nut, I frowned through the scene where a veiled (white) woman did some sort of pseudo-belly dance while her four turbaned body guards bowed before her; she was bedecked in bells and glittering gold coins, and around her swirled sheer, flowing fabrics—the kind that would have caught my eye in a fabric store.  I watched that scene and wondered, not for the first time, whether my love of glittering things is some form of Orientalism.  I grew up in a "former" British colony; I read Kipling and a slew of Victorian novels that figured "the Far East" as the site of jewels and magic and fantastic tales.  Maybe that's why I was drawn to these sheets of handmade paper, which will appear shortly in my dreambook.  I don't know; they are beautiful, but they're also "ethnic" in a way that makes me self-conscious.  And maybe that's a good thing.  Maybe my attraction to them isn't as problematic as being oblivious.  I don't know.  I went from the paper store to the post office and the white-haired black woman there called me "punkin" as she handed me my change.  I was grinning for blocks…

I love Xmas, but I hate gifts

"Hate" is a strong word, but a few years ago I really did ask people to stop giving me gifts.  Among my family members, that didn't go over so well and I still have lovely people in my life who just can't seem to honor my request.  It's the holidays, and people get caught up in the rush to shop and wrap and squeal with delight as all their wishes are fulfilled.  Some people only give in order to get, but others truly have a genuine impulse to share.  But the truth is, many of the gifts we receive miss the mark, right?  Giving a gift card is one way to avoid disappointing a friend, but there are other alternatives to consider:

1. Donate to a deserving non-profit on your loved one's behalf.  My favorites include Unicef, Heifer, and NYC-based literacy org Behind the Book.  They send me into classrooms to conduct writing workshops, they buy EVERY child in the class a brand new copy of my book, and they publish anthologies of the students' work.  You can learn more about my latest visit here.  Think about it, folks—what's worth more?  A leopard-print Snuggie or giving a child the chance to meet a real live author for the very first time?

2. Support your local bookstore—buy books!  As Doret pointed out, a personalized message in a book means a lot to avid readers; you can get signed copies of books by me, Rita Williams-Garcia, Kekla Magoon, and Christopher Grant at the holiday book party at Daddy's Basement Bookstore here in Brooklyn.  I'm giving a few people The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin because that book blew my mind earlier this year; the companion book, The Broken Kingdoms, is out now (both are affordable paperbacks) AND the author shared the exciting news that she's got a new series coming soon!  Introduce someone you love to an author that they might not discover on their own…

Lift Every Voice and Sing cards by Shadra Strickland

3. Support artists and artisans—check out Etsy, go to a holiday street market, visit the website of your favorite children's book illustrator and buy a print or some greeting cards (amazing art can be found at the websites of Shadra Strickland, Gregory Christie, Jesse Joshua Watson).  Or get out the glue/yarn/glitter and make something YOURSELF!  Whatever you make is sure to be one-of-a-kind…

4. BAKE! I love my cousin's jam and would be thrilled if that's all I ever got for the rest of my life.  I'm not particularly skilled in the kitchen, but I do bake cookies for the holidays and that's what everyone nearby gets as a gift.  I use all the old takeout containers in my cupboard and folks can indulge (eat all the cookies themselves) or share (take to your work party, offer to guests, etc.).  Within days, all traces of my gift are GONE.  I hate "stuff"—useless stuff that I'd never buy for myself but which I wind up storing in my apartment because I feel guilty giving it away.  I am not a collector of ANYTHING; I've learned to admire things without feeling the need to possess them myself.  When you bake (or make candles, or whip up handmade lotion) you're giving GREEN.  Minimal footprint, maximum joy!

5. Support your local library—pay up those late fees, donate books (if they accept them), and/or write a check so the library can continue to serve all the members of your community.  What a great gift!  The Brooklyn Public Library has a fund-raising campaign on right now—you can donate here.

better

I know you're sick of my art updates, but…

…bear with me, or check back in a couple of days.  I need to blog about holiday shopping and why I do NOT like buying or receiving gifts.  But right now I need to figure out how much "bling" one page can bear…I bought all these adhesive jewels but I don't want to overwhelm the story and defeat my own message about the meaning of the holidays.  I wrote this story four days after 9/11 and I thought for sure publishers would want a story that promotes unity and compassion…I envisioned the Dillons creating these dreamy illustrations—in my mind, I had it all worked out.  Now I'm finally moving on to Plan B.  Should there be a space between these two passages?  Does the silver border enhance the silver & rhinestone star, or does it look too sleek compared to the antique-y feel of the opposite page?  Should I add smaller adhesive stars to the night sky or save them for the sea-scene on the next page?

just add glitter…