It's Breonna Taylor's birthday
It's been a pretty awful week around here. I mean, yes, awful few months, but this week has been so much. And in the midst of all of it, I've been feeling, I guess, guilty for how terrible I feel. Like, I'm fine, I'm safe, my family is all fine, why can't I eat, why do I feel sick, why can't I sleep, why do I keep waking up when I do sleep with my jaw hurting because I'm grinding my teeth, what is wrong with me? And then this week, a Black friend said in our group chat how she was feeling, and that explained it to me: thinking about Breonna Taylor means nothing feels safe. And that's really it, isn't it? My dad is a runner, as are a bunch of my cousins. So thinking about Ahmaud Arbery made me think about how they can't even go running -- a thing they do for stress relief, for health, for fun -- and feel safe. Breonna was killed in her own home, by the police. The officers who killed her are free now and, unless something major changes in this country and this legal system and the way the police are protected by everyone, won't be punished in any significant way. She was asleep. I can't go to sleep, I can't drive a few miles to see my family, I can't go to the store, I can't do anything without my life being in danger, and if anything happens to me, it won't matter. It's not like I haven't always known that, but for the past few weeks, it's been so loud and bold I haven't been able to think about anything else. So today, I want Breonna's life to matter. Here's a link with a lot of action items for what to do. We need all of this, but also big, structural change, so police officers don't feel above the law (because they are now, they know it). Do what you can to fight for this in your communities. Yes, national politics is important, but this is a hyper local issue -- what is happening in your city, in your county, about policing? What are the budgets? How do they punish -- or don't punish -- officers who use force? These are the things we have to keep fighting for. In her name and all of the others.
And in the midst of all of this, I have a book coming out in less than three weeks. I was thinking about not talking about it at all in this newsletter, and just talking about Breonna. But then I thought of a quote from Toni Morrison: "It's important, therefore, to know who the real enemy is, and to know the function, the very serious function of racism, is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being." She said that before I was born, and it's still so relevant. So Toni, I'm doing my work here! Party of Two is out on June 23rd, and I love it a lot, and I hope you all do too. It's out in paperback, hardback, audiobook, and ebook! (Paperback and hardback are out on the same day, for those who have asked!) There's no book tour this time, because, you know, we're still in the middle of a pandemic, but if you order from my local bookstore, East Bay Booksellers, I will sign a copy for you! (When you're in your shopping cart and filling out everything for the order, there's a notes field: put in there who you want me to sign the book to). But also I'd love for you to order it from your own local indie bookstore, because someday there will be book tours again, and I want those stores to still be open and selling books to their communities and I want to visit them and meet a bunch of you. I'll be sending out bookplates to a few indies around the country so they can put them in books, and I went a little wild ordering special pens and stamps to decorate them, so forgive me if your book arrives looking like an arts and craft project by a five year old! So far, those stores are The Ripped Bodice, East City Bookshop, Loyalty Bookstore, Books Are Magic, Bookmarks, Blue Willow Bookshop, and Harvard Bookstore, all stores I love. Also just one small note about ordering books right now (not just mine, just in general): please be patient! Bookstores were not set up for all of this mailing, so it's all taking longer, the postal service is overwhelmed, so mail is taking longer, and the supply chain has a few really fractured links right now, so it's even taking longer to print books and get them in warehouses and get them out to bookstores and even amazon. What a weird time we're all living in!
One more book rec for you today, and this one comes out Tuesday: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon is a real joy of a book about love and joy and the power of female friendships and how hard functioning in a white workplace often is for Black women, and it's a great read. Go forth and order it from the link above or wherever you order books from!
I was going to give you a recipe this week, but I don't have the stamina for it today. So instead I'll link to this article about some of the food justice organizations that are helping to feed the protests here in Oakland. Part of the story in Party of Two centers around a food pantry, so I'm grateful to be able to give some money to organizations doing this important work in my community.
Love to you all,
Jasmine
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Buy The Wedding Date, The Proposal, The Wedding Party and Royal Holiday.
And preorder Party of Two!