S4E7: Honoring Black Poets and the Struggle of Being a Black Writer

That Black Couple Podcast

Jenn and Daren tribute Black writers in this episode for National Poetry Month. They start by highlighting Black poets that every reader should have on their pull list including Nate Marshall, Claudia Rankine, and Donika Kelly. Daren then dives into hard facts and figures related to how white-dominated the writing and publishing industry is, and how that can bring about specific challenges for Black writers. They share how difficult it can be to find people within the industry that understand your work, to find support for your art, and to find confidence in your own voice. In the end, Jenn and Daren share the personal struggles they have faced as writers and express how perfection can be the enemy of your writing success. Black Poets You Should Be Reading: Nate Marshall - Wild Hundreds https://amzn.to/3ZQwheT Claudia Rankine - Citizen https://amzn.to/43e5UCG Warsan Shire - Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems https://amzn.to/3ZWnPup Terrance Hayes - American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin https://amzn.to/3m3peBS Jericho Brown - The Tradition https://amzn.to/3MkMiXa Donika Kelly - Bestiary https://amzn.to/3ZJDixR Danez Smith - Don't Call Us Dead https://amzn.to/3m3oL2A Morgan Parker - Magical Negro https://amzn.to/3UbZH5O Reference Material: NYT: Just How White Is the Book Industry? https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/11/opinion/culture/diversity-publishing-industry.html www.ThatBlackCouple.com FB: www.facebook.com/ThatBlackCouple Twitter: www.twitter.com/ThatBlkCouple Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatblkcouple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/that-black-couple-podcast/id1284072220?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2M7GIQlWxG05gGq0bpBwma?si=xSkjzK0BRJW51rjyl3DWvw Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/that-black-couple SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thatblackcouple Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnNvdW5kY2xvdWQuY29tL3VzZXJzL3NvdW5kY2xvdWQ6dXNlcnM6Mjc2MDExMzcwL3NvdW5kcy5yc3M Email: [e-mail] Podcast Summary: This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. We do “adult” differently. We are That Black Couple. Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.