I met my friend and brilliant artist @lucia_hierro_ at a panel discussion two years ago. During Q&A I asked why she felt there weren’t more brown artists. “There are,” she said. “Go to DR. They’re doing it. Making art, music, writing books...we’re just not talking about them.” . I thought of my friend’s words as I read the author’s note at the close of Jeanine Cummins’ fourth novel. “I wished someone slightly browner than me would write it,” she said. Which by all interpretations is meant to say that we, “the brown faceless mass,” aren’t doing the work? . As a Latina, a brown woman and a writer I can assure you we are doing the work. We are imagining, researching, writing, pitching, pleading to be published, read, paid. . Recently while working on a project FOR Latinx I was accused of reverse racism when I asked my white boss why there weren’t more Latinx on staff. “I feel like you’re attacking my white writers,” she said. I’ve been told to remove facts and details from essays because “it’s a lot of trauma for one piece...ugh,” 😖🤢 and time after time white men in power have demanded, “Make me care. Why would I want to read this if I’m not Latino?” . And yet every time I run into a fellow (white) writer he says, “It’s a great time to be you, huh? You must be getting published like crazy!” . The fact is I’m not. My chances are slim and narrowing each day. But being a writer doesn’t feel like a choice to me, so I choose to stand with the infinitely talented community of POC writers and artists demanding to be seen and heard. Thank you all for your inspiring work. Adelante!! . And please check out my stories to hear from all the powerful voices leading this imperative conversation! Especially @alt_myriam_gurba666 who according to my local bookstore is leading the charge 💪🏽🔥😎💁🏽♀️💃🏽 At the risk of sounding hella thirsty I must say this woman is my hero 🙌🏽 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7pBu-BBE1x/?igshid=1qvd74it4nr0d
gummygunk
pixelskylines
dededos
kaledo-art
romaincrisis
tangentwithtanner
germansingergirl