Moving Forward...

I know many people, myself included, felt disappointed/scared/hurt/betrayed by the outcome of the 2024 election (if you are surprised by my stance on this, I'd encourage you to reread my books and let me know if you're still confused). The litany of emotions I've gone through since that day are too numerous to put into words and continue to evolve every day. It would be putting it mildly to say that I have grieved. I think I went through the five stages of grief in under eight hours, actually. Quite impressive, if I do say so myself. But as I enter my stage of acceptance, I thought I'd share some of the ways I'm moving forward.

I've found a lot of solace in having some action to make me feel as though I'm not completely out of control. And although I am but one person, I have resigned myself to do what I can.

Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is

It seems that money is the only way to affect change in this country. And while my lone resistance is unlikely to be felt, it makes me feel better to know I am not merely feeding the machine every day. So I have decided to divest from large corporations wherever we can. This means shopping small, shopping local, and shopping Black.

I recognize it is unlikely I will be able to remove myself entirely from the crushing jaws of capitalism, but any ounce of power I can claw back, I will. Mostly because I'm angry, and I'm tired of giving money to causes and corporations that don't give a flying f*ck about me.

As this applies to the bookish space I'm making the conscious decision to:

1. Read Indie Authors

   I already read primarily indie authors, but unless a book is being released by a BIPOC author in the trad-pub space, you won't see it on my TBR. Traditional publishing has never been a truly welcoming space for Black and brown authors, and we are likely to see a regression in the number of BIPOC authors as traditional publishing houses either willfully or forcibly bend to conservative ideologies. So I will continue to support those authors that do make it through the hellscape that is trad publishing, but I would rather reinvest in my community directly.

   
   

2. Shop Indie Bookstores

   Me and Barnes & Noble have never really been friends. I was always a Borders girl back in the day. But now that I live somewhere with less than a handful of indie bookstores I've been frequenting their stores more often. However, we are no longer on speaking terms. I have found a couple indie stores in my area that I will happily give my money to.

   
   

   If you aren't sure where your closest indie bookstore is, Indie Bound has an Indie Bookstore Finder that will show you stores in your area.

   
   

3. Read Black Authors

   Supporting my community means uplifting Black authors to the best of my ability. So I will continue to advocate for them and recommend their work until I am blue in the face.

   
   

   If you are looking for more Black authors, check out the Melanin Library and its archive of Black books and authors. Their link lives at the bottom of my newsletter if you ever need to find it.

Cultivating Physical Media

With book bans looming, it's important to me that I protect and have access to the works I care about. I have already begun a purchasing expedition for some of my favorite books, and I'll likely purchase more paperbacks and fewer ebooks for the foreseeable future.

Engaging With My Community

Community is vital to not only your safety but your sanity. And while I do believe online communities are valuable and worth cultivating, they are fragile and easily disrupted. Which is why I'll be making a more concerted effort to find opportunities to engage offline.

I'm also looking to engage in more direct advocacy. You may not know that in my other life, I'm an attorney. So, I will be taking on more pro bono work. In the coming years, legal advocacy groups will likely be inundated with lawsuits in an effort to protect our civil liberties. I would implore you to consider volunteering in your area. They are constantly looking for volunteers, and very rarely is it limited to attorneys only.

If you don't know where to start, find your local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Their work has been integral to progress throughout our history as a country, and they are already gearing up to take on the coming administration.

Reminding Myself of Our Progress

For Black Americans, this is not the first time we have faced hardship, and it likely will not be the last. That may not seem like a great comfort, but to me, it is a reminder that we shall overcome, as we have before.

It gives me hope, and hope is a dangerous thing.

With that,

Have fun, be safe, feel good.

R. A. Moreau