Let Us Cook...

Working in comics is hard.

But nothing is harder than working as a marginalized person in comics, especially if you're a Black Woman. What makes it tough, isn't the work, as it is the people in the industry, the fandom, the press, etc., we are doubted, disregarded, disrespected constantly, and Lord forbid if we, (and we usually do), defy expectations. All the above isn't surprising to us, because we're used to it. From the moment we are born, adversity is firmly laid at our feet. At the start of our lives, the ongoing fight to justify our humanity and personhood begins; it's a never ending cycle of finding success while defeat nips at your heels.

Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of celebration through chaos. From the historic Eisner Award Nomination announcements to the very brief #DCsoWhite Blackout- its fallout and salvage, to the unmitigated Black Joy that was Heroes Con, so much has happened in a short length of time. But just like I said in my last blog post, it's all connected. What I want to highlight, however, is how the success of marginalized people, especially Black Women is both feared, revered, and required.

The historic announcement of the Eisner Award nominations last month kicked the industry into a new era where the work of vast amounts of melanated creators were acknowledged; including the work of several Black Women, Black Femmes, and Black Gender Expansive Folks. Since then, I have watched social media: catalog the amount of specifically Black creators who have been nominated, congratulate nominees and interview them, and so many other positive things. But I've also seen the attempted teardowns, the attacks, side -comments, all primarily directed at Black Women nominees, most specifically, Stephanie Williams.

Let me preface something before I continue. Y'all know I am the Coordinator and Founder of WinC, but many of you may not know what that entails. It encompasses a lot, without a doubt, but most importantly the role curates spaces of safety for creators to find community, to learn, to share, to commiserate, to express themselves, and for a soft place to land when the industry gets overwhelming. In addition, for me personally, it makes me protective as a mofo when it comes to our members because I know what most of them go through just to create something. This industry is tough enough without having to deal with the misogyny/misogynoir that is ever present. With that, I say: LET US COOK. Let Black Women thrive in their industries, let them create without boundaries, respect the work they put into it because it's guaranteed that they worked 10x as hard to get to where they are compared to their Cis White Male Counterparts, and if you can't do any of the above- just leave us alone.

Now back to Stephanie. She represents what being a WinC Member is all about and she always has. I've known her for over ten years and have had the pleasure of watching her star rise court side. What makes my heart full in regard to her acceleration in the industry is how she holds the door open for others- that is the WinC way. I got to watch that first hand at Heroes Con this year - ironically I met Stephanie in person for the first time at Heroes Con nine years ago this week! Stephanie is encouraging, kind, thoughtful, and always has a minute to give meaningful advice to a colleague or an up and coming comic book professional. Stephanie's professional trajectory is just going to keep accelerating. She's no longer a shining star, but a shooting star that is, using her words, “undeniable.” Stephanie is a reflection of what Black Women and other Marginalized Gendered folks in this industry have been denied for so long: recognition.

As more Black Women and Marginalized People are recognized in this industry the faster it will evolve. And for some folks that evolution is frightening, but it is inevitable, because we exist therefore we create. As we move into the Summer Solstice, a time for relaxation and reflection, let's think about the changes we want to embody as the industry grows. Because there are more Stephanie Williams, Vita Ayalas, Che Graysons, Aisa Simones and Alitha E. Martinezs, coming, more than we'll know what to do with and it's our responsibility to protect them at all costs.

Sincerely,

Regine

Coordinator and Founder