Keeping in Touch: A No Matter What Approach

Toni, if you’re still speaking to me after last year when I didn’t answer your long Christmas letter, if you’re still writing to me, please type. I literally couldn’t read most of your letter...

Have the greatest possible holiday season—and do write. I’m a terrible correspondent, but I love getting letters."



Octavia E. Butler in a letter to Toni Cade Bambara on December 22, 1986


Okay so I'm still guilty for those couple of weeks a few months ago when I couldn't get it together to send updates on time, and I want you to know first hand about what I mean when I say that Octavia Butler, our quirky black afro-futuristic prophet was love-filled meanie. A terrible correspondent with high standards but a love for letters regardless.


This is what I call a "no matter what approach" that quirky complexity of actually saying what we need, saying what didn't work before, naming our own shortcomings and reaching out with love to each other anyway. We want and need each other that badly. We deserve the complexity of our love.


And I know that y'all i.e. WE have a no matter what approach because 17 of you have donated to the QBG preservation fund that QBG Moya set up and in one week we've raised almost half the money to move! QBG Jillian has offered free hosting and tech skills, Krys has offered possible drupal site rebuilding and Sarah T is connecting us to her other technologically brilliant friends. We have all brilliance insight and resources that we need...right here in our quirky black girl world. I LOVE us!!!!


And because, I know that like Octavia Butler you love to hear dispatches about what other QBG's are up to so you can support and engage...


Check out QBG Iresha's awesome club flyer replacing love postcard project "Summer for the Sistas" about to kick-off in Philly and collaborate from near Philly or in your own way in your own community: http://quirkyblackgirls.ning.com/forum/topics/summer-for-the-sistas


Also QBG poet/musician London Bridgez's song SHE...which you heard on the QBG Radio show is featured on Afro-Punk. Yay!!!!!!! Show her some QBG love and support and feedback! You can download the track for free here: http://downloads.afropunk.com/track/she-explicit


AND because you know you want to be like QBG Dara and enjoy the Sunday School for Black Feminist Ancestors...check out this episode of my Eternal Summer of the Black Feminist Mind Public Access TV Show which features a sitting-down sermonette on Audre Lorde and Joseph Beam and the letters THEY wrote to each other. (Are you noticing a theme?) Check out the video here: http://vimeo.com/11206756

Also in the spirit of Octavia...keep it real with me. I'm trying to figure out whether having background music the whole time is soothing or distracting. Let a sista know!!!!


And finally because while cyberknowing you is delightful, nothing is better than hanging out with QBG's in person let us know if you are going to be in QBG Isis's hometown Detroit this June for the Allied Media Conference: alliedmediaconference.org or the US Social Forum.


As always, keep in touch.

love,

QBG Lex

Visit Quirky Black Girls at: http://quirkyblackgirls.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network