The Other Letters in B.I.P.O.C.
FEATURING: There There by Tommy Orange and The Very Inside Edited by Sharon Lim-Hing
It is important to recognize that cultures outside of our own exist. When we give space to the voices of others, we amplify them, giving them recognition of a full human experience, as opposed to one limited by stereotypes and misinformation.
Even though one was a novel while the other was an anthology, what I appreciated about both There There and The Very Inside was their ability to bring me into the world of indigenous and Asian lives, while examining the intersections of race, gender identity and even economic status. They expanded my knowledge of struggles with self-awareness in an otherwise eurocentric world, that were not entirely different from what Black people express. This created that sense of shared human experiences that I often reference, which makes me feel even more connected to other other members of the global majority.
Additionally, what really stood out to me was that both Indigenous Americans and Asians rarely get the platform to be their authentic selves. But in these works, they created the space to do so. Which is what people of color have been doing, making our own way when we are denied the safe spaces to exist and boldy letting others know we are here. #holidaygiftguide