Drawing
I started a tree drawing (and painting) class. And for anyone who knows me pretty well, that’s like a made for me course. So, I’ve been sketching a lot. Yay!
Writing
Attended an incredible panel: Rethinking ‘Diversity’: the future of the publishing pipeline and meeting the needs of writers of colour. I learned a lot, for example, about the Jhalak Prize, which celebrates books by British/British resident BAME writers, and Knights Of, inclusive children’s publisher.
There’s a lot in the media at the moment about black writers and writers of colour in general and publishing. Likely sparked by the research that underpinned that panel: Rethinking ‘Diversity’ in Publishing by Dr Anamik Saha and Dr Sandra van Lente. You can read the executive summary and the full paper for free. Spread the Word has a rallying cry in its call to action.
The irony hypocrisy of Goldsmiths university supporting this research is not lost on me.
- No black permanent members of staff in their art department
- Not renewing contracts for 472 precarious academic staff when 75% of staff on fixed term contracts are BAME is not lost on me.
- Sign the petition to make them accountable for their systemic racism
I spent 26 hours writing, so far, this month (1-28 June). WOW! #proud
Participated in Anthony Anaxagorou‘s workshop: Writing the Event. Anthony has excellent teaching skills and great workshops. Highly recommend.
Reading
So, I finished reading the Binti trilogy on Monday and started the Rosewater trilogy. Really enjoying it.
I think reading so much Windrush generation stuff was getting me down, maybe not the whole genre – I don’t know enough – but the books selected by the course I was doing were just a lot. Especially during lockdown and the increased focus on anti-blackness right now. It feels right and good to be reading afrofutures instead.
Black British film
Watched Babymother (1998) and Nice (1984) on BFI Player.
New words (to/for me)
- shuck verb 1. remove the shucks from maize or shellfish, 2. INFORMAL cause (someone) to believe something that is not true; fool or tease
- I learned this from my terrible handwriting, lol. No idea what I actually wrote, but what I appeared to write is apparently a word, so hurray for teaching myself things by accident.
Liberating Structures
Did a bunch of Liberating Structures things at work, including leading a sort of train the trainers session with other agile coaches. That was fun. One of my workmates described me as an expert to a colleague, and I had a lot of feelings. Gotta say, getting the recognition you deserve after years without it is a helluva thing.