Sharon Hurley Hall's Blog, page 9

It's Not Because I'm Black - SARN Minis #62

It's Not Because I'm Black - SARN Minis #62 Transcript

Hi, I'm Sharon Hurley Hall. Welcome to the Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter podcast, SARN Minis.

I've got something a bit different for you today - a new addition to the tiny poetry section of the newsletter. It's a work in progress I'm calling "It's Not Because I'm Black".

It's Not Because I'm Black

THE PRESENT

It's not because I'm Black

that you

ignore me

avoid me

exclude me

deride me

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REBOOT: Proximity Isn’t The Flex You Think It Is

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

It’s time for the monthly trawl through the archives. It’s a couple of years since this article on proximity was first published and it still rings true. I’ve updated it with some new links and a couple of relevant Instagram galleries, but otherwise, it’s pretty much as originally written. Check it out…

Proximity Isn’t The Flex You Think It Is

I know some white people may be offended by this but it needs to be said: proximity to a Black or Global Majority person doe...

Anti-Racism Reading List March 2025

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

There is a LOT in this month's reading list, from lessons from history, to changing our thinking, to surviving and thriving this moment in global history. And the Of Note section is getting longer. So, without further ado, feel free to dive in…

1. Reclaiming Knowledge: The Evolution of Decolonial Thought and the DIA Framework by Christian Ortiz

Christian Ortiz has been bringing it recently - I look forward to seeing his articles in my LinkedIn feed. What I like abo...

Not Enough or Too Much? Working While Black

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

As a Black woman in corporate, or in any office job, you're always under scrutiny. Heck, as a Black woman existing and minding your own business, the same is true.

Downgraded For Being Quiet

I learned that for the first time at a training day in England. I've told the story before, but here it is in a nutshell. I was quiet throughout the day, as the trainer wasn't telling me anything I didn't know - no point in taking up airtime when there were people who needed the...

Meet Writer & Publisher Delvin Howell (Part 2)

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

Welcome to part two of the interview with Barbadian writer and publisher Delvin Howell. In part one , Delvin talked about how he became a writer, and his choice to move beyond struggle stories and show Barbadian protagonists as heroes and more. Ready to dive in?

Delvin, what response have you had to your writing?

The response has been positive. People are often surprised at the approaches I take to certain ideas. Whether it is the reimagining of Bajan (Barbadian) fo...

Building Anti-Racist Habits

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

One of the things that came up in the SHHARE anti-racism membership community a couple months ago was the question of how to build and sustain anti-racist habits. In other words, while everyone's heart is in the right place, sometimes things slip through the cracks, and people don't feel like they're living up to their values.

In response to this, I put together a live learning session on the topic, centred around the productivity practice of habit stacking. In my ...

If You Can’t See It, Can You Still Be It? - SARN Minis #61

If You Can’t See It, Can You Still Be It? - SARN Minis #61 Transcript

Hi, I'm Sharon Hurley Hall. Welcome to the Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter podcast, SARN Minis

We often talk about "if you can see it, you can be it" in relation to Black excellence. In fact, it's true to say that that was a whole vibe for those of us who grew up Caribbean in the post-independence era (don't get me started on what "independence" really meant and means, or we'll be here and sidetracked all day).

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Meet Writer & Publisher Delvin Howell (Part 1)

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

Back in February I attended an African film night as part of the Barbados International Film Festival. While there, I ran into a young writer and publisher, Delvin Howell. I was intrigued both because he was doing fantasy, and because he'd set up his own imprint. As a writer, Delvin had a lot to say, so this interview is split into two parts. Here's the first:

Delvin, what made you become a writer?

As a toddler, I was always fascinated by stories. After every episo...

"Be The Drops"

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

It's been about a year since my last podcast conversation with Sam Chavez at the roots of change agency. When we were talking about a follow-up, we discussed Black joy, rest, resistance and community, so naturally my sister Lisa Hurley had to be part of the conversation.

In this excerpt, we talk about abundance, our responsibility in these times and how we can view ourselves as part of a whole (with an analogy I'm pretty happy with). And we take a swipe at capital...

The Lone Black Student

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

I've written many, many times about working while Black, but one experience I haven't yet talked about is studying while Black.

To be clear, what I'm about to describe can also happen in the workplace in meetings, in training rooms and around the water cooler. But the experience I'm talking about today is endemic in educational settings for Black (and sometimes Global Majority) students, especially in PWIs (predominantly white institutions). It goes like this:

You'...