Truth? It’s incredibly hard to emotionally and financially sustain full-time artivism as a Womxn of Color. I’ve been a writer for almost a decade, a political photographer for years, am about to self-publish a memoir on a shoestring budget–and there are many days I want to give up.
What is the clear message sent to us, as Womxn of Color under capitalism, when society wants our creativity and labor but does not want to compensate us for it (esp when others are compensated very well for the same)? It shows how little worth Womxn of Color hold in people’s minds and how we are immediately presumed exploitable. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been asked to work for free, have had to fight for fair pay, or demand payment on outstanding invoices. It inevitably gets to you after a while, you start to question yourself, depression can become a chronic battle.
That is why I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and launch a Patreon (subscription) page where folks who like and appreciate what I do can HELP ME KEEP GOING. Patreon will be the place where I publish works I don’t publish anywhere else. It will be my sacred space where I create/share the kind of content I love to make with community I know is there to anchor me: life reflections, social commentary, literary prose, storytelling, teasing out new book ideas, and more.
Previews of my Patreon work will appear on this open-access blog too so you can see the full scope of what I’m working on. Following, there will be an icon which takes you to the subscription page (see below). If you have the means, I truly hope you will consider becoming my patron. Your support helps me continue being an artivist; writing, making books, photographing, etc. Even a modest monthly contribution can make such a huge impact for someone doing what I do. Grateful for your much-needed support from the very, very, VERY bottom of my heart.
