This whole piece was healing. Thank you Zi, for the poem which is such small words speaks volumes and the essay, which encourages me and reminds me of our duty, to survive. To write is to continue surviving. You’re very talented
Hanif Abdurraqib wrote, "If we don't write our own stories, there is someone else waiting to do it for us." And that is incredibly true for us as black women. For many, many years, we had to fight to even be seen as women. I am grateful to live in this time period where I can read so many wonderful Black women writers and see myself on the page. This piece also encouraged me to get back into writing! Writing has always been the medium I felt the most intimate with because I never felt that I could express myself in any other way that mattered.
Tressie McMillan Cottom mentioned in her book Thick that the personal essay is the domain that Black women should claim because of our voices and experiences have so often been undermined and silenced.
Thank you so much for this. I'm going to get back into writing and having confidence in my own experiences and stories!
This comment has just solidified my need to get my hands on Tressie McMillain Cottom's book! I'm so glad my piece inspired you to get back into writing omg
this is what I tried to touch on in my latest post but you said it so much more eloquently. rewriting is inherent and it’s a heavy task. but there’s power in knowing that we have the powerful knowledge of what it means to be black and woman. truly important stuff that only we understand. like an real real exclusive girl’s country club
Reading this came at the perfect time because I have been wrestling with what it means to be seen when creating work that is entirely up to interpretation of others. The unwriting is such an underrated step that must be done with grit and intention. It's so constant but vital to survival. I appreciated this essay and poem so much
Thank you, Zi. Every day, I need this reminder. Every day, I go through unacknowledged mental exertion in order to write, and you've identified the exertion. It's the unwriting. And then the rewriting. In order to write. To write. To write. To write.
This is what truly makes Black women writers so extraordinary in my eyes. We have to unwrite so many terrible stories and then rewrite those stories and only after the rewriting can we actually tell the story we wanted to tell. And on top of all this, we have to be mindful of our language and how we wield it—whether we are writing for or simply about our people if we choose to tell Black stories. Thank you so much for reading ❤️
This year I recently opened up to everyone I knew that I was a writer and wrote poetry. And I have never felt so free.
Last year at school I had told a classmate of mine that I was planning to become a poet after high school and he and the other guys at my table thought it would be funny to try to insult me by saying my writings were probably “like Maya Angelou.” At the time I was annoyed and insulted, not because I didn’t like Maya’s work, but because I knew it was not a compliment more than an insult.
Ever since then, I still have shied away from speaking on the Black girl/woman experience because I’m scared of being wrote off as an “annoying typical black girl, that always has to make it about race.” But after reading this, it has been my green light to not allow those comments and stereotypes to stop me from doing the exact thing I need to do; prove the exact opposite. Show that it isn’t just Black women complaining but making universal creations (might I add) and showing ourselves past the prejudgments laid onto us.
This truly, is my sign to keep going. Thank you. You keep going as well.
I am a new reader and subscriber. Thank you for reminding me of my necessity. And for giving name to this omnipresent hunger I’ve felt since a child.
This essay, this poem, and this conversation has acknowledged me before I even uttered a thought, a word. You speak, and I feel heard. Thank you, again.
Too many have shied away from writing only to have it calling, pulling, urging us to be healed through it. I feel this in my bones, thank you for these pieces!
This whole piece was healing. Thank you Zi, for the poem which is such small words speaks volumes and the essay, which encourages me and reminds me of our duty, to survive. To write is to continue surviving. You’re very talented
"To write is to continue surviving." That's so beautiful and so true. Thank you so much for reading <3
This was incredibly beautiful and reassuring.
Hanif Abdurraqib wrote, "If we don't write our own stories, there is someone else waiting to do it for us." And that is incredibly true for us as black women. For many, many years, we had to fight to even be seen as women. I am grateful to live in this time period where I can read so many wonderful Black women writers and see myself on the page. This piece also encouraged me to get back into writing! Writing has always been the medium I felt the most intimate with because I never felt that I could express myself in any other way that mattered.
Tressie McMillan Cottom mentioned in her book Thick that the personal essay is the domain that Black women should claim because of our voices and experiences have so often been undermined and silenced.
Thank you so much for this. I'm going to get back into writing and having confidence in my own experiences and stories!
This comment has just solidified my need to get my hands on Tressie McMillain Cottom's book! I'm so glad my piece inspired you to get back into writing omg
Thank you so much for reading <3
this is what I tried to touch on in my latest post but you said it so much more eloquently. rewriting is inherent and it’s a heavy task. but there’s power in knowing that we have the powerful knowledge of what it means to be black and woman. truly important stuff that only we understand. like an real real exclusive girl’s country club
The rewriting is such hard, but necessary work. Thank you so much for reading ❤️
Reading this came at the perfect time because I have been wrestling with what it means to be seen when creating work that is entirely up to interpretation of others. The unwriting is such an underrated step that must be done with grit and intention. It's so constant but vital to survival. I appreciated this essay and poem so much
Thank you, Zi. Every day, I need this reminder. Every day, I go through unacknowledged mental exertion in order to write, and you've identified the exertion. It's the unwriting. And then the rewriting. In order to write. To write. To write. To write.
This is what truly makes Black women writers so extraordinary in my eyes. We have to unwrite so many terrible stories and then rewrite those stories and only after the rewriting can we actually tell the story we wanted to tell. And on top of all this, we have to be mindful of our language and how we wield it—whether we are writing for or simply about our people if we choose to tell Black stories. Thank you so much for reading ❤️
You really are an amazing writer and poet. I just don't know what else to say!
Ugh thank you so much <3
Absolutely incredible. This piece has lit a fire within me, I am so deeply inspired.
This year I recently opened up to everyone I knew that I was a writer and wrote poetry. And I have never felt so free.
Last year at school I had told a classmate of mine that I was planning to become a poet after high school and he and the other guys at my table thought it would be funny to try to insult me by saying my writings were probably “like Maya Angelou.” At the time I was annoyed and insulted, not because I didn’t like Maya’s work, but because I knew it was not a compliment more than an insult.
Ever since then, I still have shied away from speaking on the Black girl/woman experience because I’m scared of being wrote off as an “annoying typical black girl, that always has to make it about race.” But after reading this, it has been my green light to not allow those comments and stereotypes to stop me from doing the exact thing I need to do; prove the exact opposite. Show that it isn’t just Black women complaining but making universal creations (might I add) and showing ourselves past the prejudgments laid onto us.
This truly, is my sign to keep going. Thank you. You keep going as well.
Powerful. Thank you for this last line, “I didn’t believe I mattered—but the I must matter if we want to become a future we.”
very beautiful and very much needed read !! writing has always been the most powerful weapon one could wield, and you've done so so well
I am a new reader and subscriber. Thank you for reminding me of my necessity. And for giving name to this omnipresent hunger I’ve felt since a child.
This essay, this poem, and this conversation has acknowledged me before I even uttered a thought, a word. You speak, and I feel heard. Thank you, again.
I feel so seen. Thank you, Zi. Just lovely!
such a necessary and beautiful reminder, thank you so much for sharing this piece with the world <3
This was so beautifully put together. Thank you so much for this Zi.
Too many have shied away from writing only to have it calling, pulling, urging us to be healed through it. I feel this in my bones, thank you for these pieces!
Thank you; this was a brilliant piece. I'm sorry my praise isn't longer and more complex. But please know that this was magnificent.