Community Announcements

Community,

Time to share some announcements about some upcoming events. We will host our first community read the first week of February. We will have two selections. You are invited to join one or both. Each month there will be two selections posted to give you options and hopefully increase participation. Our reads will be based on two challenges: Women Unbound and Social Justice. There's been a slight change to our Social Justice choice for January's theme: Religious Freedom.

Women Unbound- Children of The Waters by Carleen Brice
Social Justice- Faith by Maya Amjera

I'm behind but I have not forgotten about December book prize winners:

Color Me Brown- Terri
Women Unbound- Shellie
Quiz- Ana
Holiday winners: Cassy, Mardel, Gavin, Bj, Laura and Catherine.

Winners feel free to contact me. I'll contact each of you soon.

Don't forget about our new format for the Sunday Salon. Our inaugural discussion was fantastic. Feel free to continue to share your thoughts.

For those who don't know, we had an important and dynamic discussion about African American literature in awards, publishing and how African American writers are limited in what the industry will publish by this group of writers. See Mama Lockdown discussion at Black-Eyed Susan's. For me, talk is necessary and so is action. I don't complain without plans to take some action and writing is action. In addition to writing, this summer Edi, Doret, Amy Bowllan and I will be attending the National Diversity in Libraries Conference in Princeton, New Jersey. See Amy's post here. I've also been invited to participate in Cybils next year. We can and we must contribute to change. Stop believing that your opinion and actions don't matter. You matter and frankly, I believe as James Baldwin said:

It is impossible to pretend that you are not heir to, and therefore, however inadequately or unwillingly, responsible to, and for, the time and place that give you life.

Ari, Doret and Jill and I are your community admins. Have suggestions, comments or complaints, send them to us at cora_litgroup@yahoo.com.

Thank you all for taking time to read, share and participate at Color Online. Without you we cannot fulfill our mission to empower young women and to support women writers of color and others who value and celebrate diversity.

Best,
Susan
aka
L