The "Toni / Terry" Challenge

I spent the afternoon sharing the panel stage with Victoria Christopher Murray, Donna Hill, and Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, and fellow newbie author T. Holland (she just wrote Aw, Shucks) as part of the 2nd Annual "Ladies of Literature" panel hosted by Delta Sigma Theta, Lehman College, and The Bronx Council on the Arts.

Delta Sigma Theta solicited questions to stimulate the discussion and our moderator Dr. Veronie Lawrence Wright opened the Q&A with a question about the immense popularity of the "street lit"/"urban fiction" genre. Each of the panelists had a different and valid perspective, but the consensus was this: shelving books according to the color of authors' skin versus genre is misleading. i.e. Just because Toni Morrison and Terry McMillan are both black doesn't mean their books belong in the same section of the bookstore.

The question of whether there should be an African-American section in the bookstore is one I've been mulling over a lot as author Bernice McFadden wrote a provocative op-ed on the topic, and it has come up a few times in recent discussions and appearances. At the end of last year, on her syndicated show on Blogtalk Radio, Ella Curry threw the question out to me and my fellow authors/panelists including Tina McElroy Ansa. I think I said we needed an Afr-Am section as well as placement in the general genre sections because I remember what it meant to me to discover the likes of April Sinclair, Joan Morgan, Edwidge Danticat, Zadie Smith, and others -- and I believe I found them in the Afr-Am section. However, Victoria Christopher Murray, Donna Hill, Donna Grant, and Virginia DeBerry have been writing professionally for the past 20 years and noted their books were exposed to a much bigger audience before the advent of Afr-Am book sections.

It's a tricky topic, especially when you have books like Katherine Stockett's The Help (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and Chris Cleave's Little Bee which have black protagonists and appeal to black audiences, that are written by white authors. I don't remember seeing those books in the black book section, but then I haven't looked for them there, and in fact, I usually buy my books via Amazon which raises an entirely different issue...

As we spoke, it got me thinking about something Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels once said. At a symposium at Sony (where I used to work), Daniels was in the house promoting The Woodsman, I think, and he noted that he had considered casting a black actor to play Kevin Bacon's part but his mother implored him not to cast a black man as a child molester. Daniels obviously acquiesced, but he bemoaned his lack of artistic freedom as a black producer/director to do just that. Today's panel spurred me on to take that freedom -- as my fellow panelists have done in their careers.

Donna Grant mentioned, in particular, facing the "Toni/Terry" challenge in which black authors whose voices didn't mimic Toni Morrison's or Terry McMillan's struggled to find support from publishers. But teens of books later, they have each carved out their niches writing books that have expanded the scope of contemporary fiction. I left a little lighter after selling a few books, feeling incredibly inspired and encouraged to carve out mine.

[photo courtesy of mije.org]

Sunday at Chateau Afonja in Harlem

Promoting Powder Necklace has been so much about people generously opening up their networks to me, and this afternoon was no different. Osahon Akpata, a beautiful writer that has become an invaluable friend, introduced me to Funmi Afonja who in turn introduced me to her network via a delicious brunch and book signing at her apartment aka Chateau Afonja this afternoon. She made every delicious thing on the menu -- spicy shrimp omelet, diced fried plantains, salmon stew, chicken, chef salad, fresh fruit, warm fluffy croissants, scones, and more -- and invited me to share my book with her guests. I sold out of the books I brought,met an incredible group of people, and reconnected with some friends I haven't seen in a minute. It was an awesome end to a whirlwind weekend.

Friday & Saturday with the Young African Professionals of DC

On Friday, I had the honor of joining Caine Prize Winners Helon Habila and Olufemi Terry (Stickfighting Days) as part of a Young African Professionals panel discussion. In a word, the event was a dream.

The panel venue, Asafu's Restaurant, was packed to the gills thanks to Ehui Adovor and the team of Young African Professionals that put the evening together. (Thank you, Tinesha Davis and Harvetta Asamoah for coming!!) The event was tightly organized, again thanks to the organizers that led us to share a bit about ourselves and read from our works, before moderating a Q&A session that continued well into the signing phase. It was a thrill to chat about everything from the writing process to the impact of expat spending on the African economy. Then it was food and hang time!

We walked up the block to an Ethiopian spot called Etete where we shared a communal platter of tibs, yebeg, and other yums before walking it off to a bar called Marvin's (too loud, too packed) and finally settling at a wine bar called Vinoteca. I should add that my little roller suitcase was in tow the entire time.

The plan was for me to drop my suitcase off before the event and head with Ehui to Asafu's, but my bus hit an hour's worth of traffic and after trying to catch a cab on DC's 10th & H at the height of rush hour, my roll dog had to come with. I wheeled that jammy down several streets and drag-bumped it up (then down) stairs into the AM.

We ended the night trying to catch another cab (not an easy feat in DC; and apparently they charge extra for suitcases), but Ehui and I nabbed one and headed back to her apartment as she graciously hosted me for the night. On Saturday AM we went for brunch at Tabard Inn where my friend Robin met up with us. I got to meet her gorgeous baby boy and catch up briefly before I had to head back to the bus for the four hour ride back to the city. When I got off the bus, I was halfway down the subway steps when I realized I'd left my suitcase in the bus. Thankfully it was still there.

UPDATE: Pics are HERE!

I'm History (in the Making)!

On Thursday night, JWT's Differenter Committee honored 17 modern day black history makers, and I was one of them! It was a fabulous event which started with a crazy inspiring short documentary featuring my friend and fellow honoree Jacques-Philippe Piverger who started an organization called The Global Syndicate that raises funds to address urgent needs in education, health, and economic inequality; environmental activist Majora Carter, Living in the Village author Ryan Mack a financial planning expert committed to educating the community about sound financial planning; Una Clarke the first Caribbean-born woman elected to the New York legislature; and Hip Hop 4 Life femtrepreneurs Tamekia Flowers-Holland and Tanisha Tate who are committed to building self-esteem, confidence and sound judgment in young people. It was incredible to see and hear what people are doing to literally make the world better, and specifically how the point of different(er)ness ultimately inspired the honorees.

Majora Carter spoke about how she had been trying to escape her South Bronx roots for most of her life until she realized her call to return and make it better. The Majora Carter Group now works to bring green spaces to the South Bronx and similar neighborhoods across the country. Ryan Mack said he decided to turn down a job in finance when he was told the only way he could be a success is if he targeted high net worth individuals. Now he's providing critical financial planning services to the people who need it most.

After the screening, fellow honoree Eric J. Henderson spoke about how finding a 1950 Kodak Brownie Hawkeye on the corner of 125th Street & Park Avenue sparked a vocation in photography. Then I was up. I shared a bit about my experience being "differenter" as a kid and how it inspired Powder Necklace. I tried to keep it brief and thankfully I got through it without crying lol. Special shout out to JWT's Differenter group for putting together such an amazing event, and spurring me on to do more with what I have.

Encouragement via the Imani Literary Group

On January 29th, I had the opportunity to call in to a meeting of the Imani Literary Group. They'd read Powder Necklace (along with fellow Ghanaian author Kwei Quartey's book Wife of the Gods), and they were a huge source of encouragement to me.

I'm in the middle of working on my second book and it's been a particularly difficult process. I thought it would get easier after Powder Necklace, but it feels almost harder mainly because it's a completely different experience.

When I was writing PN, I had gotten into a very rigid routine: wake up at 5 in the morning and write till 7:30, write on the hour long train ride to work, write on the hour long train ride home, write till 2 in the morning. But now, 8 years later, I just don't have the energy I used to. Now, by 10p, I am nodding off. (Old age has also weakened my defenses against reality TV. Curse you Basketball Wives marathon!) And I've since moved which has cut my commute time considerably.

My second book also spans Ghana from 1962 to the present day so I have so much more research to do. I have spent literally days obsessing over the minutest details, and I have spent other days wondering if I'm slowly going insane because of it. The day I called into the Imani Literary Group's Q&A session, I was taking a break from that madness, and God knows I needed it.

I spent probably an hour on the phone answering the very thoughtful and incisive questions Angela Reid and the group of retired educators that belong to Imani had for me. They brought up details and themes in Powder Necklace that I had even forgotten about, and as I spoke with them I felt encouraged that every detail I'm currently obsessing over is worth it. So thank you, Imani Literary Group, for the encouragement and sending me pics of your meeting to remember the day!! The food looks amazing.

Now back to writing...

Talking Black Magazines on CUNY TV!

Happy February!! Last summer, Abi Ishola invited me and a group of black women in media to appear on CUNY TV's "Independent Sources". The focus of the discussion was the dearth of lifestyle print magazine options for black women. Abi did a series on this topic which appears on her website. Have a look and listen.

Watching it again after all these months, I'm struck by the fact that I'm wearing a buubuu. After over a month of weekly snow storms in New York, I'm missing the swelter of July. I'm also digging the fact I've learned my lesson and toned down the lip gloss :-) But on a more serious note, it's reminding me of the impact magazines had on me and, ultimately, my writing.

I was 20 when Alek Wek appeared on the cover of Elle, and I remember the schizophrenic range of emotions that singular moment in fashion culture elicited in me. I felt beat-my-chest pride at the sight of this black girl on the cover of a mainstream fashion publication. I also felt uncomfortable with the fact that she was bald, dark, and "African" looking. (I preferred the more Eurocentric presentation of Naomi Campbell, Kiara Kabukuru, Iman, Beverly Peele, and Louise Vyent...)

I had spent my youth absorbing, then wrestling with, the brainwashing that light skin, straight hair, and light eyes were more beautiful than dark skin and "nappy" hair. Elaine Brown explained this complexion politics in her book A Taste of Power: "If you white, you right. If you yellow, you mellow. If you brown, stick around. If you black, git back. Waaaay, back." At the time of Alek's cover, I was working through my brainwashing issues with my senior thesis which focused on the politics of the black beauty ideal. For a tangential reason, I shaved my head and went natural, wearing the short 'fro I'd been forced to wear as a secondary school student in Ghana -- not much longer than Alek's.

After college, I got my first big break working as an assistant editor for fashion and music publication Trace Magazine which published an annual "Black Girls Rule" issue -- long before Vogue Italia's black issue. At Trace, I not only got to hone my skills writing all manner of articles, but I was on the inside of an apparatus focused on depicting the global community of color with the utmost quality. Oluchi Onweagba was the cover model of the first issue I worked on, and when the issue printed, I literally went door to door in SoHo personally placing the magazine in different boutiques and coffee shops to increase its visibility.

All of these experiences were part of what inspired my short story "'Bush Girl" about a wannabe model living in Flatbush, Brooklyn which appeared in African Writing. (Similarly, my encounters with the incredibly diverse stories of writers like Edwidge Danticat, April Sinclair, Zadie Smith, Janet Fitch, Shauna Singh Baldwin, James McBride, James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Chimamanda Adichie, Liza Monroy, Adam Mansbach, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Ama Ata Aidoo, Joan Morgan, and Buchi Emecheta spurred me on in the writing of Powder Necklace.)

It's so important that pubs like Essence, Ebony, and JET, Trace, Vibe, The Fader, Uptown, Arise, and the now defunct Honey and Suede exist in tandem with Clutch, YBF, FashionBombDaily, Black Voices, The Root, The Grio, AfriPOP, and so many other blogs and websites. They fill a hole in mainstream publication coverage. But it's even more critical that magazines which bill themselves as mainstream do a better job of respecting the diversity of the readers that support them. Black women, for example, shouldn't feel like they have to go to a black publication to get real hair care advice. Likewise, white women shouldn't feel that a magazine with a black woman on the cover won't have any relevant information for them. No one should feel ignored, marginalized, or pigeonholed...

Anyway, I could go on about this for hours. What do you think of all this?

Why Michelle Obama?

Part of my job as an author is to pro-actively find and connect with audiences for my book so when I got the invite to attend the MichelleOBrunch, a quarterly meet-up inspired by Michelle Obama's example of leadership and volunteerism, I asked the founder Chana Ewing if I could do double duty as a guest and author/vendor. She graciously said yes, but when I got to The Rising Arts Gallery and loft of artist Kennis Baptiste, I was a little apprehensive. These past few months of signings and festivals and events have turned me into a hardened shiller. I case the joint, look for the most optimal aka highly-trafficked place to set up, and prepare to pitch. Aggressively. But immediately, I could feel shilling was not the spirit of this gathering.

Though the women in the room were board members of non-profits, principals at foundations, and founders of companies and community organizations, the brunch wasn't about selling stuff or yourself. It wasn't even about networking really. Refreshingly, the women in the room could only talk about service -- and food. :-)

Together with her "Chef's Circle" our host Chana who launched the MichelleOBrunch series last year led the group in contemplating what we're currently doing to be effective community leaders and how we can grow in those roles in the new year. As we tucked into our catered Senegalese restaurant brunch -- banana pancakes, spicy blackened chicken wings, Eggs Benedict, spinach leaves drizzled with fresh carrot ginger dressing, french toast, Prosecco mimosas and wine -- we discussed skills and services we could offer each other to help take our respective volunteer and service efforts to the next level. It was a powerful, empowering, and satisfying experience.

Meanwhile, a photographer and videographer was capturing it all for posterity. The videographer asked those of us who wanted to share our thoughts on the brunch: "Why Michelle Obama?" I mentioned her realness; her admirable ability to keep her position and opinion poll standing in perspective, to cut through the faux impressiveness of situations to represent herself with honesty and truly connect with people e.g. hug the QE II when it's supposedly protocol to shake the monarch's hand; don a marmy sweater over her Narciso Rodriguez dress because, shoot, it was cold in Grant Park that January day when her husband accepted his victory as the first black president of the United States; her choice to place her children and family at the top of her priority list...

That realness was in full effect at the MichelleOBrunch and a reminder to me to keep it all in balanced perspective as I move into 2011. Yes, I must shill, but I also must chill.