I used to be a super bookworm, but then college hit me. I went from reading several books a week to writing several papers a week. The activity that was once done for leisure had now turned into my life as the academic. Nevertheless, I am still very drawn to building my personal library and inspired by Black girl writers and readers.
I understand reading to be a transformative experience because you are able to explore and see the world in a way that you may not have seen it. For me, reading is also a form a self-care. It allows for a few moments of just diving into what the pages have to offer, a mental escape. Reading also allows for me to see myself reflected in ways that I don't get to see in mainstream media.
My mom and I have been book buddies for years. We've always found joy and peace in reading books together. We've even been able to be a part of book clubs together, which was always empowering for me. I enjoyed being a part of a group of resilient Black women as they made their way through life, they talked about their dreams and goals and dissected through the texts. Here, I learned the importance of the true and genuine companionship that Black women share.
In true nerd form, I absolutely love autobiographical works and especially history filled ones. I am drawn to the facts in them, the historical timelines, the testimonies, the trials and victories that are in between the pages of writers like the late great Toni Morrison, Angela Davis, Ntozake Shange, Lorraine Hansberry, Phillis Wheatley, Audre Lorde and the list goes on and on and on.
Here are a few of my favorite Instagram pages/sites that also share this love of reading and celebrating other writers of color. Check them out!
"If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it."
- Toni Morrison
What are some of you all’s favorite writers and books? Leave a comment.
In power,
Teryn Denae
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