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LITERARY GENTRIFICATION


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The challenge to black readers in the very near future may not be where to find great writers, but rather where to find the books that our great writers write. What has been happening for quite some time is that our access to quality literature  produced by authors of color has surely narrowed, restricting  our voice.

 

If this shocking trend continues unabated then there will be little hope that we will emerge from ‘whatever comes next’ intact as a united people. We must heal. Now. Therefore, the big question is not so much a matter of when but how. While it is human to celebrate change when it holds out possibilities for us, but if we, as a people, are going to put ourselves in a position where we can both manage and control part, some or all of what happens to us, we must heal.

 

Celebrate. Then Heal.

 

 To date, what has been so symptomatic of us is that we are so proud of ourselves, and rightly so, for having endured to the end of whatever crisis that has afflicted us, that we don’t allow the healing process that ultimately follows any great battle to complete itself. We must heal. And only we can heal our hurt.

 

No other people on the planet has ever been forced to endure as much as  we have had to  endure just to reach where we are now. Lord knows, we done paid some dues and in today’s socio/political climate, there is no longer any room for failure so in order to get stronger, we must, by necessity, HEAL!

 

We must heal and rarely will we find anything more transformative for our healing  than reading. There has never been a better moment than now for us to seize control of our literary narrative and to use this narrative as the foundation and the building blocks of a more unified black nation. Words possess that kind of power, especially when they are employed specifically to uplift, to enrich, and to empower. If we, by chance, are going to heal then what could be more rejuvenating than immersing ourselves in the depth and richness of our literary essence.

 

During the Harlem Renaissance, the writers of that period took it upon themselves to introduce the black masses to themselves by using their writings as a mirror which reflected the harsh realities they faced. Additionally, in the aftermath of the Great Depression, it was the ink of our writers and scholars that help illuminate the path out of the darkness. It was liberation literature.

 

Clearly, the one the thing that history will bear witness to is the fact that scarcely has there  ever been change without the ink of the scholars being the catalyst. It was Voltaire, the writer and philosopher, who sparked the French Revolution with his writings. It was the writings of Marx and Engels that  unified the working classes in Russia. And it is rumored that one of the documents that stirred the souls of the early American colonists to unite was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. Therefore, the thunderous might of words cannot be ignored so we must let our writers write but charge them with the duty to educate, and to uplift, and to transform. Otherwise they are useless.

 

The truth never lies so we must not surrender our image or our voice to others so that either can be experimented on and tampered with. Now is the time for us to have our say. We must say NO to literary gentrification where outsiders either encroach on our right to tell our stories, or to restrict where our stories are to be found. The suppression of our voice is as evilly damaging as suppressing our vote, and with few exceptions, a people without a voice are too easily victims.

 

Given the historical range of our suffering, there is no doubt that healing needs to take place in order for us to be whole. Yet, oddly enough, healing is what we have ignored most. And to be honest, the constant barrage of attacks against us has left us little or no room for recovery as we have been kept busy trying not to be consumed by the range and anger of American hospitality.

 

However, if this is our NOW, we must find our center; that one place where we can all connect and where we can feel and explore and experience that which belongs to us------the power of our words contained in  books written by, for, and about us.

SUPPORT AALBC

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This was well done and expresses my sentiments in a way that I have not been able to. 

 

11 hours ago, Gibran said:

The challenge to black readers in the very near future may not be where to find great writers, but rather where to find the books that our great writers write. What has been happening for quite some time is that our access to quality literature  produced by authors of color has surely narrowed, restricting  our voice.

 

This is absolutely true and has been going on for a long time.  I'm inspired that other people see it and can articulate it so well.

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12 hours ago, Gibran said:

What has been happening for quite some time is that our access to quality literature  produced by authors of color has surely narrowed, restricting  our voice.

I disagree. There is more access than ever before. The question is are we going to take advantage of your perception to create a reading app that provides legal access and compensation to those writers and families estates.

5 minutes ago, Delano said:

Do you think Music, Dance, Painting, Sculpture, Poetry, Logic, Mathematics and other artforms may be helpful or even necessary.

Aren’t all these things contained in books 📚. Also books are merely tools to convey ideas and feelings. 

12 hours ago, Gibran said:

was the writings of Marx and Engels that  unified the working classes in Russia.

It was Lenin and the victory of the Bolsheviks, but they didn’t really unite. The assumed the power to rule the country.

12 hours ago, Gibran said:

Therefore, the thunderous might of words cannot be ignored so we must let our writers write but charge them with the duty to educate, and to uplift, and to transform. Otherwise they are useless.

Typical Marxist propaganda. Writers should be free to write!

12 hours ago, Gibran said:

that one place where we can all connect and where we can feel and explore and experience that which belongs to us------the power of our words contained in  books written by, for, and about us.

SUPPORT AALBC

While the AALBC is a nice waystop, it’s too restrictive and lacks the will to undertake such a momentous task. 

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1 hour ago, Delano said:

what does a culture need for sustenance

 

Agency.

 

 

 

@daniellegfnyIt is interesting to read you reaction.  But you've completely the point.  

 

You wrote, "Writers should be free to write!" as if @Gibran rejected the notion in what he wrote (again setting up a strawman), which he did not.  You quoted what he wrote, but failed to grasp his meaning... His use of the language was clear, so I do not know what else to add.

 

When you write, "While the AALBC is a nice waystop, it’s too restrictive..." again you miss the point.  Gibran was not saying the AALBC was they only thing we need to do, indeed he wrote others things we need to do as well.  What he offered was not intended as a complete prescription.

 

Danielle you fancy yourself as a writer, as such, you will note that Gibran started with a thesis statement; "The challenge to black readers in the very near future may not be where to find great writers, but rather where to find the books that our great writers write." Gibran was simply recognizing AALBC one platform that advances this goal. I praised what he wrote because he understands what I'm trying to do, something you've clearly failed to divine.

 

Do you reject Gibran's thesis?  If so why?

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12 minutes ago, Troy said:

Do you reject Gibran's thesis?  If so why?

I reject it because more people are able to access the writing of “Great Black Writers “ . The real question is how do we master search algorithms? How do have more people attend webinars where people can be exposed to them. 
 

I am a writer who happens to be categorized as Black. My color doesn’t impact the motivation of my writing. Just as being male doesn’t or being devastatingly handsome. 
 

You perceive a shrinking because you are advocating it. You can’t see it because it’s not in yourself interest. You seem to have an attachment to the concept of the straw man. Not every different perspective is without merit or baseless just because you don’t agree. 
 

 

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5 hours ago, Troy said:

You wrote, "Writers should be free to write!" as if @Gibran rejected the notion in what he wrote (again setting up a strawman), which he did not.  You quoted what he wrote, but failed to grasp his meaning... His use of the language was clear, so I do not know what else to add.

I had also missed his point, but your post elucidated it for me.

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8 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

I reject it because more people are able to access the writing of “Great Black Writers “ . The real question is how do we master search algorithms? How do have more people attend webinars where people can be exposed to them. 

 

OK you appear to have a very limited understanding of the subject.  First, none of us can "master" any of these algorithms. Master implies control, which we do not have, we learn to deal with them.  Expecting the general public to attend a seminar to better understand algorithms is a pipe dream.

 

8 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

I am a writer who happens to be categorized as Black. My color doesn’t impact the motivation of my writing. Just as being male doesn’t or being devastatingly handsome. 

 

If who you are does not impact your writing, in any way, then I question the depth of your writing.  ("devastatingly handsome" 😉 )

 

8 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

You perceive a shrinking because you are advocating it.

 

No, my perceptions is based upon counting.  I've been tracking Black bookstores and websites for over 20 years.

 

@Delano thank's but it best to let @Gibran do the "official" clarification. They are his words, but I think my unofficial clarification is valid.

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4 hours ago, Troy said:

my perceptions is based upon counting.  I've been tracking Black bookstores and websites for over 20

Black Bookstores are not the end all or be all for Black Writers our fates aren’t intertwined. Depth is in the mind of the reader. “Some people can read a bubblegum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the Universe.” My object in writing isn’t to try to be profound. My objective is to delight and entertain. That’s why I said let writers write. Then either learn how to promote or hire someone who knows how. 
 

Mastery is a high degree of proficiency which is an ongoing process.

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4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

Black Bookstores are not the end all or be all for Black Writers our fates aren’t intertwined.

 

Yeah they kinda of are. Your people are often your best, first advocates after yourself.

 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

“Some people can read a bubblegum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the Universe.”

 

That quote makes no damn sense. Where the heck did you get it? Sounds like something you'd read on a bubble wrapper. 

 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

My objective is to delight and entertain.

 

Then you underestimate the depth and skill required to entertain.

 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

Mastery is a high degree of proficiency which is an ongoing process.

 

No. Either you master something or you don't. You for example will not master Google's search algorithm, because you have no control over it.

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6 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

Grasshopper you have a long way to go.

Troy has been selling books and interacting with authors for two decades. Even if I didn't know Troy I would say he would be pretty knowledgeable. Plus Troy loves the craft and the people, that comes across to anyone that interacts with him.

It is kind of ironic, to tell him he has a lot to learn , while you are on his site, trying to promote your book.

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13 minutes ago, Delano said:

Troy has been selling books and interacting with authors for two decades. Even if I didn't know Troy I would say he would be pretty knowledgeable. Plus Troy loves the craft and the people, that comes across to anyone that interacts with him.

It is kind of ironic, to tell him he has a lot to learn , while you are on his site, trying to promote your book.

I agree. I second the idea that Troy is highly skilled and knowledgeable about his chosen profession, and I'm quite eager to confess that on any occasion that he has provided advice to me, it has been accurate. 100%. 

And since I have yet to grasp the mechanics of how to respond using the quote button, I will say here that I do not believe that AALBC is too restrictive to serve as a platform by which to reform black literature. To be fair, it would be best to understand what those restrictions are perceived to be before I can accurately answer. However, what I do understand about most entities, no matter what they purport to be, is that it would be short-sighted to establish any business without leaving room to expand. What business model is it that would curtail its own growth by virtue of built-in restriction? The whole idea of enterprise is GROWTH and for a business owner to operate under the guise of 'just going so far' is ridiculous. In business, the sky is the limit, and this true even if you are a non-profit or a cyber-site-----you don't block your growth by being restrictive. Just saying.

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@Gibran I think there are many reasons or motivations for starting an enterprise. I met an Astrology Bookstore owner. He said this business allows me to have a massive astrology library. He was very  knowledgeable about astrology. Another friend told me she knew a omen who decided to shear sheep. Since it was a job that didn't require a lot of capital and would give her loads of  free time. I alos had some friends that had a performance collective, they put on an amazing performance at La Mama in NYC. I knew another guy who was an entrepeneur he said a laundromats is one of the best business. You lease the machines and people pay in cash. So some people use their business to fund their life, their passion or both.

37 minutes ago, daniellegfny said:

I have asked Troy various questions and his views are provincial.

Can you elaborate?

 

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10 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

If that was the case the Doctor could not surpass the Master.

 

Again you are arguing points I never made, but I know you really can't help yourself.

 

4 hours ago, Delano said:

Troy has been selling books and interacting with authors for two decades. Even if I didn't know Troy I would say he would be pretty knowledgeable.

 

Most people would make the assumption Del. @daniellegfny does even know what he does not know.

 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

I have a product to sell why would not I market here?

 

The question is why would you market here? 

 

3 hours ago, Delano said:

 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

I have asked Troy various questions and his views are provincial.

Can you elaborate?

 

Del, Danilelle did not write a question, or even a couple of questions, he wrote "various questions."  I don't think Danielle actually knows the meaning of the word "provincial."  It will be interesting to read the examples of how provincial my views are. 

 

 

 

 

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