Good morning!!
Just want to say thank you to everyone who supports and appreciates this project and page!! Thank you for your likes, comments, DMs and all the good and loving energy you send my way. Thank you so much for all the awesome books by Black women you send me, drop off and trade in. Thank you so much to the folks who come to the library each month and engage with the material and many activities being offered. Thank you to those who have started TFBWL branches in your area. Thank you especially to the patrons who give funds towards the growth and sustainability of this project every month through Patreon, I would not be able to keep this going without your financial contributions!! Recently I attempted to get funding from an organization that claims to give money to public practice social engagement community building type projects, multiple people told me to apply for the big money they were offering not just cause they know I needed it, but also cause they felt TFBWL was a perfect fit, but guess what!! they said this work does not have enough social impact and that I need to be doing more to get their dollars. 🤔
Their response gave me pause, because I thought of all of you and the hundreds of people who come to the library every month, the Black girl bookworms who spend the entire day at the library, the educators who create curriculum and reading lists based on the library’s collection, the Black women who feel excited and affirmed when they see over a thousand books written by people who look like them about things they care about, the writers who feel inspired and open, the elders who lift me up and praise my efforts, the folks who come in looking for a very specific book and always always find it, all of those who tell me they feel liberated, creative and joyful just being in the space. This all feels good and impactful to me, so I had to let go of their opinion that I’m not doing enough and just continue on, focus on what feels good and just be thankful. I am filled with gratitude. 🖤
