As we make our way through 2021, I've noticed my commitment to educating myself about the influence of racism and white supremacy and challenging the role it plays in my life and business has been losing some speed. I need to do better. It's always easier to be motivated about change when everyone else is motivated about it too, but the fight against racism remains just as vital whether it's filling our news feeds or not.
One of the most important lessons I learned about combatting racism last year was that it's not a fight between 'good' people and 'bad' people. Racism is a system we're all a part of and are affected by every day. You don't have to be a hateful, bigoted person to do or say something racist; white people are often perpetuating racism without even being aware of our actions. Fighting it is not just about calling out the 'bad' people; it's about taking the time to educate ourselves on the way racism shows up in our own lives and then taking concrete actions to interrupt those patterns.
As an author and business owner, I have a responsibility to ensure my business is actively anti-racist. I recognize that the romance genre and its community are not exempt from the influence of white supremacy. If I want to publish in an industry where people of all races can receive equal opportunities, representation, and respect, I need to constantly be looking for ways my business can create space for POC voices to be heard and supported.
To keep myself accountable, I've developed my Anti-Racist Business Plan. This is the framework I will use for my anti-racist work to stay on track with my efforts, whether racism is at the forefront of trending topics or not.
The plan also includes a few of the resources that were most helpful to me in creating it, and I hope that any other white authors who are interested in creating their own anti-racist business plans will find them helpful.
