The Free Black Women’s Library Podcast is up.
In this episode I talk to my dear friend Trish about books, language, audre lorde, representation, poetry and the importance of expression.
Please give it a listen and let me know your thoughts!!
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#poetry #literature #library #bibliophile #writing #podcast #storytelling #blackbooks #audrelorde #ReadingIsFundamental #blackwomenauthors #blackwomen #culture #FreeBlackWomensLibrary #shineyourlight
On this day last year over a 100 people gathered at Brew bar in Brooklyn for the first Free Black Women’s Library Pop up of the year. It was a mild winter so we spent the bulk of the day outside talking, laughing and exchanging books with each other. Folks of all ages, genders and races came through to share in the brilliance and magic that Black women bring and It was awesome. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Featured author Kaitlyn Greenidge read from her amazing debut novel “We Love you Charlie Freeman” which ended up being a best seller and one of the best books to come out in 2016!!! It was a stellar day. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
This year the first pop up is happening on January 19 at Brooklyn Movement Center, located at Stuyvesant and Decatur from 5 to 9pm. This is in collaboration with actions taking place all over the globe in honor of domestic violence survivor Bresha Meadows. Hoping to see you there. ✨🙏🏾💕
I am raising money to support the growth and maintenance of The Free Black Women’s Library, a mobile library that centers and celebrates the voices of Black women in literature. The library uses books to build community by bringing people together monthly to connect around their love of reading.
Currently the collection contains almost 600 books of every genre written by Black women. The library travels throughout NYC and pops up at different locations like churches, museums, playgrounds, community gardens and anywhere else people gather. Along with the books it brings readings, performance, film screenings, writing workshops, book talks, and deep critical conversation.
All races, ages,and genders are welcome to trade books with the library.
Please help me spread the word and give what you can.
Thanks for your support!!
Speak your truth.
“My arm was wrapped and in a sling. When the wagon driver had asked, my mother told him I had broken it and she was taking me to an obeah man. I was ashamed that she had been made to sin, to tell a lie because of me. Even in my mind I could not forget how my elbow was hurting me in a funny way that wasn’t about pain. Even alone on the sick I was too afraid to touch it, to give that arm the healing power of the other one. I was afraid to touch places on me that weren’t even private. And I was going to die for it. Die for having those places. My mother held my hand, then left” ⭐️⭐️
I found so much brilliance, beauty, intimacy and connection within the reading circles I led this year and last, first with our Audre Lorde/Your Silence Will Not Protect You circle (2018) & then again with Black Feminist Praxis(2019). The writing, analysis and discussions that have sprung forth has been stellar, so I’ve decided to keep the vibes going with a new 6 month series, 🙌🏿🙌🏿
I’m launching something new in 2020 called - My Dark & Twisted Fantasy - in this one we will focus on themes of darkness, shadows, death, ancestry, witchcraft, magic and madness - all within the writing of Black women and Black non binary folks specifically.
We are reading short stories, essays and novels by Octavia Butler, Gayl Jones, Nalo Hopkinson, Akwaeke Emezi and Dorothy Roberts, for our very first session wine are focusing on stories within Tiphanie Yanique’s incredibly gorgeous and haunting collection - HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A LEPER COLONY. We will meet virtually once a month from January to June, sessions include writing prompts, rituals, and detailed discussion on each text as it relates to Black bodies and Black womanhood, all are welcome to access these sessions, via Patreon by pledging $2 or more dollars a month.
(Part of this is about reframing and reclaiming fears, sadness, monsters, so some text may be triggering!!)
We will also discuss some elements of these same themes in Black women’s music, art and film. Looking forward to it!! ⭐️🖤⭐️
The Free Black Women’s Library - Spring News
Hey there folks, Happy Friday!!
Just wanted to share with you a few fun updates and super cool news items about the library.
I am really excited to share with you that the April’s edition of The Free Black Women’s Library features award winning author Angela Flournoy, reading from her best selling debut novel The Turner House!
The Turner House was a finalist for the National Book Award and a New York Times notable book of the year. This novel was also a finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction and an NAACP Image Award. Angela is a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree for 2015. Her fiction has appeared in The Paris Review, and she has written for The New York Times, The Nation, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere.
A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Flournoy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. She has taught at the University of Iowa, The New School and Columbia University. Flournoy is currently the Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellow at the New York Public Librry Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.
I am over the moon thrilled that this amazing author will be talking about her writing practice and reading excerpts of her gorgeous book for our next pop up session happening -
noon to 5pm
Sunday, April 2
Nurture Art Gallery,
56 Bogart Street, Brooklyn
Snacks & refreshments will be served.
All are welcome!!
The library is part of an amazing exhibit at Nurture, brought to you by our friends from Culture Push called “The Archive of Affect”, it explores the impact and purpose of archives & storytelling.
The exhibit opened to a gorgeous packed house on March 17th and is up until April 16.
This biblio-installation contains a custom made bookshelf, 120 books written by Black women, 10 Black and white portraits of Black women writer ancestors, and a running slideshow of photos of library pop ups from the past two years. Feel free to stop by the gallery anytime between noon and 6 Wednesday thru Sundays to visit or trade books with the library. All good books written by Black women are happily accepted!!
Also want to share that I am extremely grateful to the wonderful folks of The Laundromat Project for choosing me to be their Create Change Commissions Artist this year!! WooHoo!!! I am looking for Black women, femmes and gender non-conforming folks to participate in a social art project I am launching entitled Black August: Cocoon, which explores the concepts of safe spaces, embodiment, rituals, pleasure, self care and creative expression. This project involves weekly meet ups for the month of August that feature self defense classes, art making, workshops, yoga/meditation and various body loving practices. Together we will create a zine dedicated to these concepts filled with art, photography, poetry, prose, strategies, information and resources that address the health, safety and liberation of Black women. The zine will be mass produced and sold, all proceeds will be donated to organizations that work for the support and safety of Black women. Much love to The Laundromat Project for their funding and supporting of me in this venture that I have been working on manifesting for a long time!!
Please contact me at ixesmama@gmail.com if you are interested in taking part.
All meet-ups will take place in Brooklyn on Sundays in August, snacks and refreshments will be served and childcare will be provided.
Lastly I wanted to share that three of my absolute favorite folks are coming out with books within the next few weeks and I highly recommend pre-ordering each one. These brilliant creatives have been working hard on bringing these notable texts into the world and I am eagerly looking forward to diving into what their beautiful minds and hearts have to offer.
They are
Liza Jessie Peterson - All Day: A Year of Love and Survival Teaching Incarcerated Kids at Rikers Island
adrienne marie brown - Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds
Shantrelle Patrice Lewis - Dandy Lion/ Black Dandy & Street Style
I literally started tearing up while ordering these books this week a few days ago because not only does it feel good to see my friends thrive and give birth to ideas they have been working on for years, it also feels doubly amazing to support them.
I am so hyped to have these babies in my hands!!
Reading books by Black women gives me joy, pleasure, healing, LIFE!!
I am currently cuddling with the fierce imagination of
Kiini Salaam - When The World Wounds
and the fearless heart of
Alexis Pauline Gumbs - Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugivity
How about you, what books by Black women are you reading right now??
Send me a message letting me know!!
As usual thanks for the support and please continue to connect with me on Facebook, Tumblr, Soundcloud, Crowdrise and Instagram.
Please let me know if you would like to be removed from this list!!
As usual wishing you Peace, Blessings and Happy Reading!!
The Free Black Women’s Library celebrates Black History Month with brilliant actress, spoken word artist and mass incarceration activist, Liza Jessie Peterson, as she shares details and reads excerpts from her highly anticipated novel - All Day.
All Day is a memoir that illustrates Liza’s experience of teaching incarcerated teens on Rikers Island for 15 years. We are excited to have her join us as this month’s featured guest!! Her book highlights the struggles and successes of the surreal odyssey that took her down the rabbit hole of prison and education. On the school floor at Rikers she found herself determined and committed against all odds to make a difference in the lives of teenage boys despite their rowdy antics and seasoned apathy. Every day was filled with outrageous jail house theater and being a classically trained actress Liza was adept in serving the drama right back at her students. Together with her students, Liza guided them towards surviving in an oppressive environment and found common ground with her students in the belly of the beast. Through her steadfast commitment to her students she changed and nurtured their lives in multiple ways.
The Free Black Women’s Library is a monthly mobile pop up library that currently contains almost 600 books written by Black women. The goal and purpose of the library is to center and celebrate Black women’s voices in literature. Each month the library highlights different Black women authors, artists, healers and activists through readings, workshops and performance.
All events are free and every race, age and gender is welcome to attend, donate or trade books with the library.
To take out a book please bring a book. Please be intentional about the books you bring. Books must be written by a Black woman and in good condition.
Join us February 12 from noon to 5 at The Brooklyn Movement Center, 375 Stuyvesant Avenue in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
#book #bookstagram #blackwomen #BlackGirlMagic #BlackExcellence #prisonschool #education #blackwomenwriters #mobilelibrary #teacher #artasactivism #freeblackwomenslibrary #communitybuilding #Brooklyn
Hello and Happy December!! I am nervous and excited to share that yesterday I launched the first crowdfunding campaign for The Free Black Women’s Library.
Thank you so much to those who have donated so far.
I have poured my everything into this project for the past 5 years. The work has felt both necessary and exhausting. It has been on shaky ground the entire time, surviving through the support of my small Patreon family and a tiny team of volunteers. I think it’s time to level up!!!
My dream wish goal, is that it moves into 2021 on a solid sustainable foundation, and with your help I know I can make it happen!!
This dream has three parts!!
1. A storefront or loft space that can house the collection of books (over three thousand and rising) and serve as a reading room, literary hub and community resource.
A space that can be used to read, write, learn, rest and connect with others. It will inclusive and accessible for all body types.
2. A van or small bus that I can convert into an official bookmobile, which can be used to transport the books from place to place, so I no longer have to rely on car services to get the books around. This has been one of the most challenging aspects of this project.
3. A librarian or highly organized person who has a deep love for books and community. This project requires ALOT of labor and I would like to hire someone to manage all of the day to day tasks. I aim to pay this person a living wage with the funds raised via this campaign.
I am asking everyone that follows me on here and enjoys my content to collaborate with me in making these three special dreams come true.
Imagine a space that is comfortable and beautiful, a space that book lovers of every age, race and gender can enjoy. A space where people can come to, to be alone or with others, build community and be inspired by the brilliance and imagination of Black women writers.
We need and deserve this space!!
With your help we can definitely make it happen!! ♥️📚🖤
Please give what you can and feel free to share this post far and wide!! THANK YOU!! ♥️📚🖤♥️📚🖤
A few weeks ago I had the distinct pleasure of being interviewed by the legendary Sandra Bookman for the lifestyle and culture tv series “Here and Now”
I was so nervous my entire script flew out of my brain as soon as the camera started to roll.
I’m still incredibly grateful for the opportunity. My interview airs today!!
“Toni Cade Bambara took up the politics of revolution, family, and knowledge production with decidedly less ambivalence than Murray. Her 1970 collection of essays, poetry, and cultural criticism, BLACK WOMAN, offered a resounding response to the cultural and intellectual discombobulation that had framed the works of Pierce and Cruse.”
“Bambara and her colleagues considered a range of issues relevant to Black women’s lives, turning them inside out, interrogating their relevance, discarding the ideas that were not useful and offering a new set of conceptual frames for thinking and writing about Black women’s lives and organizing for black liberation. Bambara and her comrades did not see Black women’s lives through the framework of a problem. Rather like Cooper, they looked at Black women’s lives and their embodied experience as a space of possibility.”
- 🤩⭐️🤩
Dr. Brittney Cooper in BEYOND RESPECTABILITY speaking on THE BLACK WOMAN/An Anthology edited by Toni Cade Bambara.
I love when it feels like my books are talking to each other. When one book references another to make a point more salient and precise. This conversation on the range and scope of Black women intellectuals is especially rich and potent. 🤓💚
#blkfemfridays
