Black Brighton bookshop owner criticises anti-racist city pledge as ‘tokenism’

In June 2020 Brighton and Hove City Council pledged to support BME businesses “through council procurement and encouraging local support”. Carolynn Bain, owner of Afrori Books, says the pledge is “tokenism” without any published strategy

A black Brighton shop owner has criticised the “lack of action” on the council’s anti-racist city pledges. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) pledged to transform Brighton amid widespread Black Lives Matter protests.

Carolynn Bain, owner of Afrori Books – the first black-owned bookshop in the city – has branded the promised support for Black businesses as “tokenism” as the council is yet to make public it’s strategy. The second of 11 pledges made by BHCC more than two years ago states it will “focus on supporting BME businesses through council procurement and encouraging local support”.

Although she initially welcomed this pledge at the time, Ms Bain says not enough has been done to act on it. Following success as an online book store, Afrori Books opened in Kensington Street in October last year.

During this time she has spoken to MPs and councillors, but claims there is “no real plan at all” that has been put in place. “I met with a Green councillor and asked to see a strategy to support black businesses in Brighton,” she told SussexLive. “I also said I would help, but nothing came of it.

“I’m saying the same things I said a year ago. They should have this in place – surely a city council should have a strategy in place for everything. The council should make public their plan. Since 2020, how many Black-owned business have opened in Brighton? What has the council truly done for the diversity of businesses in Brighton?”

Ms Bain also believes the Black community in Brighton has not been consulted over diversity projects in the city. The World Reimagined project – which BHCC later pulled out of – faced criticism over its cost and perceived limited impact from Black people living in the city.

The project would have seen art installations put in place across Brighton to “transform people’s understanding about the Transatlantic Slave Trade”, a council spokesperson said following the initial announcement. As the plan was expected to cost £180,000, many thought the funding from the Arts Council could be put to better use.

“We said to the council ‘how will this help the black community'”, Ms Bain added. “There was also no thought given to how bringing up the slave trade would emotionally impact black people living here. In lots of ways the shop has a voice, but in many ways we are still voiceless in our city. We like being grassroots, but want more access to decisions.”Without any meat on the bones, the anti-racist pledge is tokenism. The way to do it is to open up conversations.”

Brighton and Hove City Council says it has taken “a number of positive steps” towards being an anti-racist council, and that its anti-racism strategy is set to be agreed by councillors in March.“We have established a BME Community Advisory Group to shape and influence our long term anti-racist strategy, and provided community funding and support, and which has an independent Chair,” a council spokesperson said. “The anti-racism pledges we have made include a focus on supporting BME businesses through council procurement and encouraging local support.“This means supporting our existing BME business communities and residents who may wish to set up or grow businesses here. We have not pledged to bring new BME business here from outside the city.”The council has also claimed it has ringfenced The World Reimagined funding for anti-racist work, and it will be “spent in accordance with members of the Conservation Advisory Group, on anti-racist work and infrastructure support for BME voluntary sector organisations.”

“We have carried out a great deal of staff training and are the first council in the country to appoint an anti-racist practitioner in social work,” the statement adds. “Our anti-racism strategy is continually being developed and is due to be agreed by councillors in March.”

Since it founded in October 2021, Afrori Books has visited schools across the city and hosted a variety of workshops and activities. Half of the schools visited by Ms Bain and her colleagues had never had a visit from an author, while none had ever had a visit from a Black author.

Afrori Books also teamed up with The Feminist Bookshop to host the first ever Brighton Book Festival, and helped organise a Komedia Takeover for a showing of Woman King, starring Viola Davis.

https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/black-brighton-bookshop-owner-criticises-7731405

Black authors make progress but change remains slow in the publishing industry

Once upon a time, not that long ago, finding books written by black authors could be challenging – often tucked away in a dark dusty corner, under a section titled “BAME”.

“You kind of crawl to the back of the major shop, down a secret tunnel, pass the cobwebs, go through some sort of initiation to find the black section,” joked bookseller Carolynn Bain.

In order to have access to black books for herself and her children, Carolynn used to pay for books to be sent from the US, Canada, Nigeria and Kenya.

She said she knew these books were out there, and even attended protests with her children to demand better access.

She added: “My children grew up and I went on a march and they were marching with me. Nothing had changed.

“These books still weren’t available.

“And the more I looked into it, the more I looked saw the massive discrepancies.

“For example, I have never walked into a major bookstore and seen poetry by a black author.”

Out of frustration, last year Carolynn set up Afrori Books, Brighton’s first and only bookshop dedicated to promoting black authors, also offering anti-racism workshops for children and a “safe space” for honest and frank conversations about experiences of discrimination.

But despite providing the space which is clearly welcomed, Carolynn still struggles to get some in the publishing industry to appreciate its value.

She said: “Sometimes, we struggle to get authors to come down, because their publishers won’t pay their travel expenses.

“Can you fathom that? Like you won’t pay their travel expenses to come to an event where they will sell books.”

Things are improving, though, and more black authors are getting published.

Scarlett Brade’s debut psychological thriller, The Hive, was published by Zaffre this summer and she recently travelled to Afrori Books to promote her work.

But despite her success, Scarlett was not surprised there were no black authors currently in the top 50 Amazon best sellers list.

It has nothing to do with the quality of work, she argued.

Scarlett said: “It’s got a lot to do with marketing and publicity, you could write the best story in the world.

“But unless it’s being seen on a regular basis by an obscene amount of people, it’s the only way it’s going to sell.

“I think as black authors we need more visibility.”

However, she does recognise there has been change.

“There are more black authors and more people of colour working within the publishing industry, which is very important,” she said.

But it is also important black authors get to tell whatever stories they like, and are not just limited to telling the tales of black trauma.

Scarlett said while these books are important and have inspired her along the way it was important that The Hive “had nothing to do with racism, that wasn’t a running theme”, but instead a story everyone could relate to.

Ellah Wakatama, editor-at-large at Canongate, one of the leading independent publishers, has enough accolades to fill a book of her own after two decades in the industry.

Her role now is to bring in around six titles a year, often directly from authors.

But she added: “The thing I love best is the editing of the book.”

Ellah champions black writers, her face lighting up when describing a project she is currently working on, a book called Losing the Plot by Derek Owusu.

She said: “Most of the writers that I know have never had a problem creating.

“All too often the barriers are within my own industry.”

She said the biggest change she had seen was volume when it comes to black writers, with more and more of their books making it onto the shelves.

This is because other black writers have paved the way and proved that readers will pick up their books.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/black-authors-progress-change-remains-170600651.html

Authors reclaim Black mental health book after first publisher exposed with links to far right: ‘It feels like a rebirth’

Dr Samara Linton and Rianna Walcott are the editors of an innovative and vitally important book about mental health and race – The Colour of Madness.

It’s a book that addresses the deep inequalities and systemic racism that exists in mental health treatment and highlights the voices of those who have been ignored. However, a scandal that erupted in 2021 threatened to overshadow all their hard work – through no fault of their own.

At the heart of the story is a deep and painful betrayal.

Three years after their work was first published by Stirling Publishing and releasing the book in 2018, it was discovered the publisher was linked to ‘far right group’ Patriotic Alternative. 

For Rianna and Dr Samara, whose work centres issues around race, inequality and mental health, the news was completely devastating and threatened to destroy everything they had built since the book’s release.

‘I was really embarrassed,’ Rianna tells Metro.co.uk.

‘I just thought we would look so silly. I was thinking – “how are we going to explain this to people?” It’s horrible to be confronted with a bad decision you made when you were younger. There’s no way I would be in that position now, but when I was 22 I was naively very trusting in a way that I’m not now.

‘The meeting of those two selves was really quite traumatic. I also felt really, really hopeless about the situation.’

Dr Samara says ‘heartbroken’ is the only word she can use to describe how she felt when she found out about their publisher’s far right links. She says the discovery also explained some of the strange questions that had been plaguing her since the book’s release.

‘It felt that at every turn, what we were trying to do was being sabotaged. There were all these obstacles in the way,’ she says.

‘It was really, really heartbreaking. Rianna and I both have our own mental health difficulties anyway, and that news came at a time when things could have been better for us. It was really hard.’

The devastated authors initially blamed themselves and worried how they would be perceived, but the wider publishing industry and the community around them made it clear that they were the victims in this situation.

Publishing and legal professionals rallied around them immediately, offering support to help them win back the rights to their book, and to find a new home for it to be republished.

Thankfully, their experience with Bluebird and One Boat publishing the second edition of The Colour of Madness has been world’s apart.

Rianna adds: ‘We had been betrayed so badly, treated so badly by someone in the publishing industry. So, to then watching the publishing industry rally around us with the speed that they did, in the way that they did was so restorative. It was the only thing that made this better.’

The book itself is an innovative collection of memoir, essays, poetry, short fiction and artwork that aims to disrupt the whitewashed narrative of mental health in the UK. Now, this important piece of work will be given another chance to reach audiences, and both editors are excited about the journey ahead.

‘It feels like the rebirthing of something,’ says Dr Samara.

When the pair confirmed the second edition of the book, they asked all of their contributors if they would like to be part of the project again. Overwhelmingly, the answer was yes. Dr Samara was particularly struck by the growth she has witnessed among the writers who worked on the book the first time round, compared to where they are now.

‘For me as an editor, it is one of the most beautiful things that you can see,’ she explains. ‘The people who we have been working with and bringing together, they have been on a journey that they have found to be really powerful and really meaningful.’

Despite the obstacles faced with the first publication, the book has already had a significant impact. Rianna and Dr Samara have worked on academic collaborations, and worked with charities and community projects to advocate for real change in mental health support and services for people of colour.

‘What’s important to us is actually changing things,’ says Dr Samara. ‘Addressing the inequalities, addressing the disparities, and addressing the discrimination and oppression that was highlighted in the first edition.

‘I think when people read it, they will be able to relate to the stories and the experiences, and think, “I can see myself in these pages”, but also I hope they will be challenged, and will be moved to take it upon themselves to play their part in what is actually a bigger struggle for justice.’

However, this isn’t only an ‘issues’ book. The writing is also powerful, unique and lyrical, and has the power to move and inspire beyond those who have direct lived experience of the subject matter.

‘I’m just struck by how beautiful it is as a book,’ says Rianna.

‘The conversation that this book sparks is so important and vital, but I’m also so excited for people to read this and just go – “wow, what a beautiful poem that was”. I want people to really appreciate that the writers in this book can really, really write.’

The second edition of The Colour of Madness is available to buy now, published by Bluebird and One Boat.

Authors reclaim Black mental health book after first publisher exposed with links to far right: ‘It feels like a rebirth’

PRIM Presents… Illustrators to the Front

Date: Sunday 15th May 2022

Time: 11am – 1pm

Venue: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavillions, North Greenwich, London, SE10 0SQ

FREE ENTRANCE

PRIM and Penguin Random House’s Ebury Publishing lead a 2-hour workshop to give you all the tips you need to be the next book cover designer

To complement the NOW Gallery 2022 Young Artist Commission by Joy Yamusangie Feeling Good. PRIM is offering an interactive workshop designed to provide illustrators with insight and the tools to earn commissions in publishing. Our friends at Penguin Random House’s Ebury Publishing have agreed to lead a free 2-hour workshop to give you all the tips you need to be the next book cover designer. You could also earn yourself an actual paid commission for a paperback book with Ebury Publishing. Ebury is the home of non-fiction and publishers of works such as You Are Your Best Thing, Living Whilst Black and Micheala Coel’s Misfitz. Queer and Black priority but open to all.

PRIM Bio

PRIM is a unique digital platform dedicated to educating, connecting, documenting and sharing the myriad of Black storytelling mediums that exist. Our goal is to make stories of African, Caribbean and Afro-Latinx fam accessible to all. From a pioneering author’s catalogue and written stories to art, films, documentaries, photography and more, you’ll find it all on www.prim.black.

Also, some thoughts on what we can do alongside the workshop – in keeping with PRIM’s overall focus to expand everyone’s bookshelves we would be interested in curating a small library filled with works focusing on illustration, sculpture work, animation and fine art by or centring African, Caribbean and Afro-Latin artists. The collection will aim to feature no more than 15 books that visitors can peruse throughout the day during their visit with a member of the PRIM team to speak with them about it. Works such as Elizabeth Cartlett: In The Image of People, Semella Lewis’ African American Art and Artists, Mirror Reflecting Darkly: The Rita Keegan Archive and Africa Tales: A Barefoot Collection. 

Please bring along a personal laptop or tablet to this workshop.

Register on Eventbrite

Stormzy’s publishing company launches school events to teach children about finances

#Merky Books – the publishing imprint launched by Stormzy and Penguin Random House UK – has joined up with HSBC to create a live-streamed school event series on financial wellbeing and entrepreneurialism. 

The series will be lead by financial wellness guru Bola Sol, author of How To Save It, and creative strategists Niran Vinod and Damola Timeyin, authors of How To Build It, and will be streamed in three secondary schools around the UK.

‘My hope for the future generation is that they seize the opportunity to learn about finance at a young age,’ says Bola.

‘There’s so much accessible information about money online, TikTok is thriving on it. But really it should be schools introducing the subject, they should learn by example and empower their students to know the real value of money.’

The first event will at La Sainte Union School in London on February 21. Bola will be talking to the students about financial confidence, and providing practical guidance on how to budget, save and invest.

The second and third talks will take place in Birmingham and Leeds in March, with each event being live streamed for other schools to watch. 

As part of the series, resource packs and 1,500 books will be donated to school libraries and shareable content will be created and posted on social media channels to make sure all of the information is really accessible.

Emma Wallace, senior audience development manager for #Merky Books, adds: ‘Our How To series contributes to our commitment at #Merky Books to uplift a new generation, so I’m really excited to be bringing some of the authors to schools around the UK through both in-person events and live-streaming.

‘Partnering with HSBC UK on this series, focused specifically on financial literacy and entrepreneurism, made perfect sense when you look at the work that they’re already doing with schools around the country.’

Stormzy’s publishing company launches school events to teach children about finances

How to turn an Idea into a Book

Authentic Worth are constantly finding ways of creating avenues for aspiring creatives and authors to understand how valuable their ideas are. Using personal, inspirational and business-related ideas to attract the community in building and nurturing their ideas are great ways to not only build an organic platform, but utilise the ideas that add value and create trends. There’s a lot to learn from having an idea, to knowing the worth of the idea and developing it into a long-term resource that can be used repeatedly.

There are various ways to turn ideas into useful resources that advance and build rapport with authors, the community and clients. You will understand the importance of your gifts, skills and talents for the benefit of your target audience. Authentic Worth will help to invest in your ideas and turn them into books. We are aware that the demand for reading and soaking up knowledge is vital and your unique ideas are what people are looking for. Whatever idea you have, make them work for you and your audience effectively.

On the day of the seminar, Authentic Worth will cover the following:

– Understanding the importance of your idea(s)

– Gaining a deeper understanding of good storytelling

– Why having ideas are vital for books

– The practical steps of turning your ideas into valuable books and resources

– What you need to know about the different author key terms

– How your ideas can make an impact in society and your business

– The importance of your story

– The four key strategies – Plan, Brainstorm, Research and Execute

Early bird tickets are £20.00 starting on Thursday 3rd February to Sunday 13th February 2022.

Standard tickets are £25.00 starting on Monday 14th February to Saturday 26th February 2022.

A Zoom link will be sent two days prior to the seminar to your email address.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 26th February at 14.00pm.

Register on Eventbrite

The Importance of Your Story- How to Structure a book

Welcome to Authentic Worth Publishing – bringing worth back into you through storytelling and book writing

Today’s video will cover the importance of your story and how to structure your book effectively through knowing your target market, branching out and networking with other authors, and ultimately, being bold to share your story and make an impact in society. Your story is for others to benefit greatly from. Take a step and start writing.

*Coaching sessions*

Authentic Worth’s Bespoke 1-2-1 Accountability Coaching Sessions – this service is a monthly coaching membership between Authentic Worth and the author during the process of supporting them in publishing their book. Once the author has an outline of what they want their book to be based on, this will ignite the author towards the stage of publishing. Authentic Worth’s monthly coaching memberships motivates and keeps the author accountable to their book, ensuring the author has full and grounded support up until publishing. Book an appointment with us today and send an email to authenticworth@gmail.com for further information. Subscribe to Authentic Worth for inspirational and book-related content Follow Authentic Worth on our social platforms: https://linktr.ee/authenticworth

Penguin Random House launches Next Editors Programme

Do you want…

• a fast-track to one of t­­he most exciting creative industries?
• a career change without starting from scratch?
• to find and support the next generation of readers and authors?
• to pick the next bestseller, champion hidden gems and spot trends before they go mainstream?
• We can help take your career to the next level.

Penguin Random House is the world’s leading publisher: we make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone. You could be a project manager, a teacher, a lawyer with a side-hustle – wherever you’ve worked, we are looking for people with the talent and drive to find and shape the books of the future. 

This is an 18-month paid learning programme, custom-built to give you the tools and experience to become a Commissioning Editor – a pivotal role in the publishing industry. 

We are open to applicants with at least three years’ work experience from any industry or role, and the programme is specifically for applicants who are Black, Asian or from minority ethnic backgrounds. 

The programme is 18 months long and will give you the skills and experience to be in the best possible position to secure a Commissioning Editor role by the end.  

As part of the traineeship, you’ll follow a bespoke training and development plan designed to build your skills as a Commissioning Editor – including workshops, mentoring and practical on-the-job learning.

Salary: £32,000 per annum whilst training

https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/next-editors-programme.html

June Sarpong to launch publishing platform for underrepresented authors

JUNE SARPONG is set to launch a new imprint aimed at promoting and celebrating the work of under-represented authors without agents.

The project is in collaboration with HQ, a division of HarperCollins Publishers which Sarpong hopes will act as a voice for people with disabilities, from minority ethnic backgrounds and those from working-class backgrounds.

The broadcaster and author has already published three books with HQ, including a new edition of her 2018 non-fiction work released earlier this month, called The Power of Women.

With her own success in the publishing world, Sarpong is adamant on providing a platform for authors often overlooked in the industry. 

Over the past five years, I have been fortunate enough to work with Lisa Milton and the HQ family on my own books,” she said. “Their commitment to diversity and inclusion has been unwavering, so I can’t think of a better team to collaborate with on my new publishing imprint.

“It is such an honour to be able to offer a platform for new voices from diverse backgrounds, there are so many stories that are yet to be told from worlds that have so much rich content to offer a mainstream audience,” she added. “I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey to discover this untapped talent.”

HQ executive publisher Lisa Milton said the new imprint is aimed at the “many who have not previously felt publishing was open to them”.

Applicants for the platform are not required to know anything about publishing in order to work with HQ, but any work submitted can’t have been published in any format.

HQ Creative Inclusion Lab is open for submissions now and writers can find details of how to submit at HQCIL.co.uk.

June Sarpong to launch publishing platform for underrepresented authors

Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency is running a 6-month mentorship programme

Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency is running a 6-month mentorship programme for the second year running for unpublished novelists and non-fiction writers worldwide. The programme will include a comprehensive introduction to how publishing works, editorial work on the author’s manuscript and guaranteed representation from an MM Agent during and after the mentorship period.

This year, they’re offering eight places and at least four of them are reserved for writers underrepresented on the nation’s bookshelves.

Deadline to apply is 5.30pm 1st July 2021

You can read about it in more detail and find out how to apply here

Mentorship