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I got tagged in a review saying MAYA AND THE RISING DARK is a good read for "children of African descent." 
No one ever says Harry Potter or Percy Jackson are good for "children of European descent."
This is what we mean when we say that we're starting at a big disadvantage
No one ever says Harry Potter or Percy Jackson are good for "children of European descent."
This is what we mean when we say that we're starting at a big disadvantage
The inherent bias of believing that a book with a Black protagonist written by a Black woman is only for Black kids is one of the reasons why so many Black authors are struggling in this industry.
It's easy to say that most people don't think that way, but the numbers don't lie
It's easy to say that most people don't think that way, but the numbers don't lie
The industry has reinforced this inherent bias by publishing and supporting mostly white books for generations.
It can't be all on Black authors to do the work to re-educate readers, reviewers, librarians, teachers, etc.
I can't put into words the emotional burden left on us
It can't be all on Black authors to do the work to re-educate readers, reviewers, librarians, teachers, etc.
I can't put into words the emotional burden left on us
When publishers acquire books by Black authors, they need to strategize how to combat the inherent disadvantage built into the system they helped create.
That means looking at how they position and market our books to their accounts, distribution channels, and the general public
That means looking at how they position and market our books to their accounts, distribution channels, and the general public
This industry, as a whole only champions books that center our trauma, which speaks to how entrenched the problem is.
I saw recent tweets from publishers supporting #BLM, but a few tweets aren't going to undo the inherent biases baked into the system. It's time for an overhaul.
I saw recent tweets from publishers supporting #BLM, but a few tweets aren't going to undo the inherent biases baked into the system. It's time for an overhaul.
Because people are asking where they can purchase #MayaAndTheRisingDark, please consider buying it from @SemicolonChi, Chicago's only black-woman owned bookstore.
https://bookshop.org/books/maya-and-the-rising-dark/9781328635181
https://bookshop.org/books/maya-and-the-rising-dark/9781328635181
