My year of Audre Lorde

I have written before that I often feel a kind of book sense, where I know what to read at the time that I need it. That feels especially true with my introduction to Audre Lorde. 

Of course I knew that she existed; she is quoted about the masters' tools and the masters' house pretty frequently. However, I had never read any of her work before. In 2021 I have read two collections, re-reading them both in a series of four books that needed multiple readings. 

But that started in 2020.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-fragility-author-robin-diangelo-paid-more-for-university-speaking-gig-than-black-counterpart

I am always a little irritated when the go-to sources on racism are white people, especially when they are the sources getting paid. I was irritated with this, but the only thing I could really do (besides sharing the article) was read Austin Channing Brown's book, I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.

I loved it! I read it, read it again, and then made my sisters read it. I was right to do so, because they still refer to it.

So I recommend that book to anyone, but there was also a part where she talks about anger, which had initially felt forbidden to her. In addition to her being a woman (so conditioned to be nice) and being Black (so having to fight the stereotypes of the "angry Black woman"), she is also Christian; there would be many influences telling her to let go of anger as harmful.

I not only related to two of those ways, but I had been feeling a lot of anger at the time that did not seem helpful.

Brown referenced Lorde's Sister Outsider, and being inspired to channel her anger creatively to do good. 

I needed to read that. 

I am not even sure that I learned how to channel my anger creatively from it, but I found the essay collection inspiring. I read it multiple times, worrying about missing anything.

Those were read in December and March, respectively.

Then I saw a tweet. 

Tarana Burke, #MeToo creator, had collaborated with Brené Brown to get several Black people to write about shame and resilience in You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience and the Black Community.

I did need to read it more than once and take notes. Austin Channing Brown was in it again, but this time it was Jessica J. Williams that referenced Audre Lorde, this time for A Burst of Light.

It was beautiful. After reading it twice I went through it again with my most extensive note-taking ever. There was so much for me in there, especially so much for me right now.

I know it is completely possible that I could have seen different things and been led to different books; maybe that would be fine too. 

For how this has gone down, I am grateful.