A couple questions for my readers

Plus, a short reflection on last week's article

Hi, friends

This is a light week for me in terms of writing, because I’ve had to work on some other projects. So, I wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a couple questions.

1. Would you like to hear/read interviews?

About ten years ago, I used to interview people regularly for a site called Corridor Characters. I got to learn about some incredibly interesting individuals. But, I also got burnt out on it when I tried to post one every week. This time I’m thinking a monthly installment could be just right. That would give me more time to plan and edit.

If you think this sounds like a good idea, or if you have suggestions about people you’d like to see me interview, drop me a note in the comments or email me.

2. What are you working on lately?

I think a lot of us are struggling right now to figure out what to do. Almost everyone I speak to who is politically to the left—or even solidly centrist—feels like everything they care about and think is important is under attack right now. It has a dizzying effect, and that’s definitely by design.

So, I’m curious to hear from you, what are you able to focus on? What have you decided you can do even though you know you can’t fight back on every front? I’m sure other readers would be interested in hearing this, too.

Some thoughts about last week’s piece (I just want to be with a normal white girl.)

First off, I have had a lot of positive response to last week’s writing. Many people have written, called, or told me in person how much they appreciated it. That means a lot to me. It was a very personal piece, and I really hoped it would resonate with others. So, thank you to the people who responded to let me know it did. Sometimes it can feel like I send these off into a silent void, so feedback is always appreciated!

By the way, if you liked it, it makes a fairly noticeable difference if you click the little heart icon at the bottom of the article and/or make a comment. It boosts it to the top of my “most popular” stack so others will see it. No pressure. Just something to consider if you ever think something is worth recommending to others.

Specifically, some more thoughts about Dad.

The conversation I recounted in last week’s piece between me and my dad didn’t paint him—nor me—in the most flattering light. I wanted to be honest about my experiences of internalized racism, and that was a memorable moment for me, so I didn’t feel like I could leave it out.

That being said, I also realized people who didn’t know my dad might get too narrow of a picture of him from that piece. So, I want to make it clear that I admired my father immensely. I learned my deepest-held values from my parents, and I believe that the conversation I recounted with my Dad in last week’s writing (at least the way I remember it) was not a representation of Dad’s true beliefs.

People are complicated and inconsistent. They grow and change over time. Was my Dad racist? Yes, to a degree. Every White person I have ever known is racist to some degree. Recognizing that and facing that head-on was largely what that essay was about. So, I wouldn’t shy away from that. But there was so much more to him. That conversation was one moment 35 years ago. He, too, tried to overcome negative belief systems and continue to grow throughout his life. I hope we all do!

So, I wanted to share a video I made about my dad for his memorial service last year.¹ It contains snippets of different sermons from throughout his life. It’s a more complete picture of the man he was.

Wishing you all well this week,
Courtney

1. I used AI to give voice to his old sermons. You can read about the process here:

How I used AI to hear my dad preach at his own funeral