Around The Web: Black Books and Storytellers
Hello again, readers! This Around the Web will focus on Black books and storytellers, because as the events of this week have shown, these voices need and deserve to be heard.
Fiyah Reviews
Fiyah is a magazine of Black speculative fiction, and in addition to having some excellent issues full of awesome stories, they’ve been sharing reviews of Black books. Black authors often don’t get tons of media attention, so if you want to add to your reading list and want some guidance, this is one place to start.
YA Books by Black Authors
Another place to look for reading recommendations is Buzzfeed’s list of YA books by Black authors. These books have all come out this year, and several have intersectional or anti-racist themes, so they might be especially relevant to you and/or your teen readers these days.
BIPOC of Publishing in Canada
This is an organization to follow if you’re interested in publishing in Canada. Their Twitter account is dedicated to creating a more inclusive industry by giving BIPOC (that’s an acronym for Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, for those who don’t know) authors, editors, and publishing professionals connect and share experiences.
In Conversation with Desmond Cole and Téa Mutonji
Image: The Walrus / Photo courtesy of Penguin Random House / Kate Yang-Nikodym
Desmond Cole’s book The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power has come up on a number of reading lists this week, especially in those that are focussed on the issues in Canada. If you want to know more about the book or about media coverage of anti-Black racism in Canada, this interview with Cole and Téa Mutonji, another amazing author, is for you.
Organizations to Suppor
Finally, before I leave you, I want to say that this is only a tiny fraction of what’s out there. So much has been shared this week and in the past, there’s really no excuse for not engaging. So, whether you check out the above, or head to social media, Google, or a bookstore, I encourage you to take the time to find some Black voices to listen to and amplify today and in the future.
