Prose
Our Emergency
Your girl is in the phase of book writing where I have to send out early copies of my manuscript and ask the folks I most look up to if they will read and endorse my book by offering a blurb. It's a difficult part of writing because not everyone is going to like the book, not everyone has the time or the energy. But this isnt a random group of people- it's the people you hope will one day consider you to be a peer. Its frightening. But this time it also feels completely absurd. Considering the state of the world and what is happening in America- it feels absurd to ask the thought leaders you love the most to write one sentence about your book. And it feels absurd because my Daddy is in the hospital, and more than anything in the world right now, I want my Daddy to be okay.
All while writing this book (and now jumping into marketing), I have been asked over and over again to explain: why this book is important and why now?
It's a tough question for me to answer because I live in a world in which race always matters. It may or may not be trending in the news. We may or may not be having a "national conversation". We may be embracing racial justice one day and deciding to dismantle every program the next. America is wishy-washy about justice- but as a Black woman, Blackness always essential to my being.
I was with my Daddy all night in the Emergency Room the other day. Through shift changes, requests and medical orders, all the nurses were absolutely amazing. When he was finally admitted at 1:00am, there was only one more nurse practitioner to see. And she was the least culturally competent health care worker I have ever encountered. It was clear that she did not understand my father. And usually he is great at making himself known, but this time he has laryngitis. So everyone has to literally lean in to hear him. We did our best to advocate for him, but after the encounter we were scared to leave him. I'm so grateful the nurse who spent the night caring for him was a Black woman. When the NP left, she turned to us and said, "Good job advocating. I am a big believer in health equity and I am not here for letting any disparities go unchecked. It was clear that she was not listening to him, could not understand his answers through the lens of being a Black man his age, and someone who is a pastor. But I got him. I see him. I get him. Y'all go home. I will keep him safe." (Thank you, Hope, wherever you are)
We almost cried. Because race is real for us every day- with or without Target, with or without the current administration, with or without affirmative action, with or without DEI... race is top of mind for us every day.
And I think that's why a little book called Full of Myself which will be coming your way this fall matters. Because every day I am a Black woman- and that doesnt just impact my interactions with policy. It doesnt take a break because my dad is sick. I dont get to set it aside and deal with all of life's other problems. It is the ever present possibility of an emergency. And we have to figure out how to care for ourselves and one another because that is our reality.
So Im asking for blurbs. Because I have to keep the faith that this book will matter for Black women, matter for Black families, matter for allies- whether racial justice is trending or not.