Her Story Sister Spokesman Event Inspires Black Women Writers
The Her Story Sister Spokesman event brought women together at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center to celebrate African American women authors and encourage storytelling. Through a panel discussion, vendors and community activities, the event highlighted writing, publishing and archiving Black stories as a cultural practice.
March 7, Andria Daniel’s mom called her early in the morning and told her she should write a book, a suggestion she had been making for 10 years. Daniel said she finally found the encouragement she needed to move forward with the idea at “Her Story,” Sister Spokesman’s March event.
“Coming today gave me the motivation that I needed, just starting out,” Daniel said.
With fresh snow on the ground, women trickled into the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Her Story, created to uplift African American women authors in Minnesota and introduce community members to ways to publish and tell their stories, featured games, food, vendors, and a panel discussion.
During the panel, Reverend Dr. Mary Whitney and Rekhet Si-Asar spoke with Tracey Williams-Dillard, host of the event and CEO and publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
Si-Asar, executive director of In Black Ink, discussed the publishing arts company, which helps people collect the stories of Black Minnesotans alongside Black editors, layout artists, writers, and illustrators.
“One of the things I think was really useful is for our community to see that Black people are actually collecting, archiving, telling their own stories and authoring it themselves because a lot of time we share our stories through others or tell it to someone else,” she said.
The panel also highlighted the importance of writing itself. Writing needs to be a cultural practice, Si-Asar said, serving as an alternative form of expression.
“Just living our lives is difficult and a lot of us don’t have reflective processes… when I was a young girl writing was that for me,” she said.
Writing can help you check in with yourself and express what you are feeling and seeing without saying it aloud. Part of making writing a ritual begins with parents, she added. It’s important for them to instill writing habits in their children.
“They need to tell their own stories, tell our stories,” she said.
Whitney, who has authored five books, offered advice on self-publishing. She began writing as a way to express her anger and lived experiences.
“When you first start writing you’re telling your story and telling too much,” she said.
Whitney also encouraged attendees to upload their work to the Library of Congress to protect it and to take advantage of new technology.
Si-Asar added that even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, you can record your thoughts or ask elders to share their stories.
Daniel, attending her first Sister Spokesman event post-COVID, said it was inspiring to see so many positive Black women gathered in one space.
“I am not a writer by any means,” she said, “but the programming has pushed me a step closer to the book I am working toward.”
She said the tips about recording herself and emailing ideas to start collecting events, feelings, and reflections were especially helpful.
At the close of the event, Daniel encouraged everyone to take the next step in telling their story.
“Now’s the time, tomorrow is not guaranteed,” she said.
For April’s Sister Spokesman event, “The Earth Bounces Back and So Do I,” visit https://spokesman-recorder.com/sister-spokesman/. The event will be conducted in collaboration with Bachman’s Floral.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@spokesman-recorder.com.
