Idelette

Wiping away Cultural

Yawe = “to be” in the Potowatomi language

Yahweh = Name of God in Hebrew. A breath.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Tears streamed down my face when this connection became alive to me, listening to Robin Wall Kimmerer tell the story.

Colonization has just about extinguished the Potowatomi language. But it has Gifts to offer us. A sacred connection between this language that, to Christian colonizers once represented a people far away from God.

Meanwhile, the Potowatomi people had been saying “God, God, God,” every time they named life. Every time they spoke of Life, whether an apple or a lake, they were also saying, Creator.

We have so much to learn.

We have so much to unlearn.

Women are the Keepers of Water.

From: Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Welcoming Prayer, by Fr. Thomas Keating

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I welcome everything that comes to me today, because I know it's for my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.

I let go of my desire for power and control.

I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval and pleasure.

I let go of my desire for survival and security.

I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.

I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within.

I went to see Angie Thomas with some friends when she came through Vancouver recently. I’ve seen many authors and often walk away, thinking I could have stayed home. But not with Angie Thomas. She was LOVELY. Warm and authentic. At one point, she asked writers, authors and aspiring authors to put up their hands. There were a whole bunch of us. Then she asked again and encouraged anyone who has ever dreamed of writing, but doesn’t feel like they dare say they are a writer, to also put up their hand. This time there were even more hands. She saw her audience and encouraged the heck out of us. 

These are my notes from that night: 

A quote I loved:

“Books either give us mirrors, windows or sliding doors.”

For black girls:

We’re told we’re either too much or not enough.

“I wanted to say to black girls: You’re enough, as long as you define yourself.”

Too often the world does not give them that validation.

The Hate U Give is about finding your voice. 

On the Come Up is about making some noise. 

On representation: 

“When marginalized voices are silenced, we don’t get representation and when we don’t get representation, we get  stereotypes. “

 On her writing process: 

I write where I can.

I write in hotels, on the airplane

The characters always come to me first.

I write a zero draft.

I get to know the character.

What does family dinner look like ?

What does it look like when they go to school.

I try to do an outline chart. (Via JK Rowling)

I do a calendar.

Do a calendar for your book!

Keep up with dates.

On the Come Up took about 20 drafts

I’ve learned to listen to my author voice.

13,000 people were employed to make The Hate U Give Movie!!!

On her anthem:

My anthem would be Alright, by Kendrick Lamar

Keep your head up, by Tupac 

On a line in The Hate U Give: 

It was an escape, more than a mirror.

“I am someone’s hope. I am somebody’s mirror.”

You’re your ancestor’s wildest dream. —Michelle Obama

On representation: 

I’m one for Representation on paper and behind the pen. 

Books are great to make us aware of lives beyond our own. 

For white people: 

Be prepared to be wrong.

If we call you out, listen and learn.

Be prepared to listen and learn and get it wrong.

On Rejection + Dreams

Her first book received over 200 rejections.

Her mom used to ask her: What would you rather regret: doing and failing? Or not doing it and wondering about it?

There’s something powerful about being a dreamer. 

Your dream is worth chasing. 

It’s worth it. Keep going.