#black nerd problems

I am 2000 and late on the news, but it was a few days ago when I learned of The Book Club created and organized by Chicago rapper Noname. Initially started last year, I came across a tweet of hers on twitter when looking for some type of escapism from the horror of death, fire and military action by the U.S. in the Middle East.

The tweet I stumbled upon links to the Patreon of said book club and when I read on, I learned that it aims to become an online/IRL community dedicated to uplifting POC voices. Two authors of color will be highlighted each month by the club to be read and discussed along with local meetups in select cities. Imagine the smile on my face poking around on their website and the social media seeing so many Black and Brown folks with reading material, with smiles and most of all–gathered together.

But what takes the cake? What made me take out my wallet and sit down and bust this piece out on a Saturday morning before second breakfast? Noname’s Bookclub has a vision of sustainability and a pledge to push for education. With every subscription to the Patreon means compensating staff, graphic designers, photographers, and facilitators which is key. In a day and time where huge, multi-million dollar publications are still pushing unpaid internships and rent (is too damn high!) control still doesn’t exist in many places around the country–attempting to create and keep something creative ongoing is ideal and realistically needs support and especially support by way of dollar bills. The website also mentions that a 2020 goal is that they also want to raise funds to send their monthly picks to select prisons in various cities.

Further detailed is the push for acknowledging bookstore and libraries: for example, there are links to the Los Angeles Public Library and the Chicago Public Library who partnered up with the book club. As for the bookstores, shopping locally is encouraged with photos, addresses and phone numbers to such book havens like Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia and the Reparations Club in Los Angeles. The stress to shop local is felt at the bottom of the about page on the website with the words: Noname. No Amazon. Shop Local. The intent is further felt when glancing on social media with such tweets as the one below, advertising #FuckAmazonDay where on January 11, a mass registering for library cards to promote free access to book and education will take place. Excited, I am.

I don’t know enough about Australia or the indigenous population and culture to call out any appropriation. I’d appreciate hearing from native Australian to know how it checks out.

But they do lightly separate their world from our current one so I think that plays to their advantage.

I mostly see them as animals but occasionally I see them as ppl. I always imagine the majority of them PoC and indigenous folx.