I’ve been speaking about this a lot lately, and I’m a firm beliver in its power. The circle of influence and its ability to expand, grow and take on the world.
Have you heard of the “Circle of Influence” before? It’s something I learned on a business course once, and it has really stuck with me.
It’s been a week since I “went public” with my blog and I want to follow up on my “Why So Shy” post, where I explained how uncomfortable it felt to put this out there, but concluded with my understanding that racism was more important that my discomfort.
Well it’s funny, because I don’t feel shy anymore.
Ooooo this was a goodie! A proper page turning, couldn’t put it down, thriller!
The truth is, I wouldn’t have read anything by Rachel Edwards before I recently committed to a year of reading books written only by authors of colour. The reason is simply because I’d never heard of her. (Which is a tragedy, by the way, because she’s awesome.) It makes me think, even as an English graduate and dedicated bookworm…….how many Black, British authors do I know? How many can I name off the top of my head? How many did I study at school or university? I’m ashamed of myself for this, not least because I didn’t even notice the white centrism in my own reading.
I’ve been writing this blog, one of my favourite pass times of the last few months, for a while now. It’s important to me. It’s meaningful. And it’s relevant. So why have I been to shy to share it?
The second read for my ‘Are You Read-Y for This’ book club, chosen by an inspirational friend and colleague, was Dominicana, by Angie Cruz. Thank goodness for book club, because I’m ashamed to say I would never have known about it otherwise.
I have never read this author before – but I suspect I would have picked it off a shelf if I’d seen it, purely because the woman on the front cover looks like me. (I’m a narcissist, clearly.)
When I started reading and learning more about racial inequalities and the issues that need to be addressed across society, I purposely started reading more novels and non-fiction books by Black authors. I committed to a Summer of authors of colour. That soon extended to a year because I’m getting so much out of it. Maybe I’ll never stop!
A space for openness, honesty, discussion and learning. A space where no subject is taboo and no question’s a stupid question. Where I, as a British, mixed race woman in her 40s, explore some of the subjects whizzing around my head, at a time when I’ve never known so much discourse and discovery about race.
A review of Girl, Woman, Other. By Bernadine Evaristo.
Loved, loved, loved this book. I honestly didn’t want to finish it. I wanted to meet more characters – more fascinating women, each with a different experience, a different point of view, a different past and different future waiting for them. If it was a film, I’d be looking out for the sequel.
My first book club meet, “Are You Read-y for This?” and why I loved it
A good friend of mine, someone I met through work, and who I’ve never met in person, but who I hugely admire and respect because of our shared passion for racial equality and self-education, attended a virtual book club to discuss Candice Carty-Williams’ Booker Prize Winner, Queenie. Follow this fantastic author here https://twitter.com/CandiceC_W.
Mixed race families. The best thing in the world. Diverse, vibrant, never dull.
But what happens when you can’t talk about the “B” word (Black) or the “R” word (Racism) because it’s just so damn awkward to be white, middle class, British and discussing such unsavoury things?