Blaggots and the Blemxn Who Hold Their Stories
For Nan, T3, Aunt Tee Tee, Mels, Mar, Schmiffy, Silky, Ya Ya, KG, Cece, Aunt Celina, Miss Callender, Koleesha, Tori, Regaye Trenaye, Kitty Kaz, Tenia, NeNe, and a host of others.
I sat in the BLACKWEEK audience last week listening to Mara Brock Akil discuss her latest TV story come to life, Forever. She was on a panel entitled “The Black Family on Film,” and at this particular moment in the conversation, she was answering a question about her decision to gender-flip the Judy Blume adaptation—centering a Black boy.
Akil responded, “When I see Black boys, all I see is beautiful awkwardness.” (beautifully awkward)
As a mothership to Black boys, you could see—crystal clearly—and hear wholly—Akil’s love for, and protection of, Black masculine bodies.
The conversation continued as Akil revealed that three out of the four main characters in Girlfriends were named after prolific Black writers—mostly womxn. Joan was named after her mother; Maya, after Maya Angelou; Toni, after Toni Morrison. Lynn, however—the eccentric, opinionated, fiscally irresponsible, freeloading, and seemingly free Lynn—was named after E. Lynn Harris. (E. Lynn)
Harris: a decorated, Black, queer writer. His work and legacy, held (held) and preserved for generations through art—art within art. Shout out to Mara for holding his story and giving it new breath.
I teared up hearing her speak, thinking of a Dear One who’d sat on the phone with me for over an hour just days before, simply listening to me breathe and cry. (I’m tearing up now as I write this.)
That day, I had the honor of three Dear Ones holding space for me—three hearts, three safe rooms. The privilege of being held (held). The privilege of being seen (seen). Thank God for the Blemxn who hold space for Blaggots. (beautifully awkward Blaggots)
Shout out to the breathing, the talking through, the tears falling (tears). The gift of being asked, “What does your heart say?” or “How do you think he feels?”
Shout out to the magical Blaggots and the equally magical (if not more) Blemxn who hold our stories with care, trust, honesty, deep-wave softness, and integrity—the Blemxn who let us breathe and cry, their ears perked and their hands cupped to catch the tears that drip from our shared sorrows. (drip)
Like in Akil’s Forever, salute to the Blemxn who protect us with prayers, answered phone calls, warm meals, beds, gentle places to land, and comfort when our world seems unclear and kaleidoscopic. Shout out to their ability to hold our stories in their hearts, sacrals, and close to their solar plexuses. Shout out to their ability to keep their sensitive Blaggots’ lives alive—for forever. (forever)
b/c i’m loving: (things i’m reading or preguntas i’m asking myself)
Reads: All About Love by bell hooks | The Tradition by Jericho Brown
Ruminations: What does stewardship of my inner flame look like?