Coming Soon: Black Lesbian Literary Legacies

Whooo, y’all. January has been a long, long month, but thankfully, it will be over in just a few hours. I’m not sure that February will be much better, given today’s news, but we do have Black History Month to look forward to. If you know me at all, you are already aware that I am Blackety Black Black, so Black History Month is really just an opportunity for me to remind you of the various ways in which I celebrate Black people and Black women writers specifically.

With that in mind, next month I’ll be starting a series on this blog entitled Black Lesbian Literary Legacies, where I interview and profile some of our Black lesbian literary foremothers, aka some of the women who’ve inspired me to do the work that I do.

I hope to introduce you to a few writers who have yet to receive their flowers, and help you learn a little more about some of your favorites.

Until next then, here’s a picture of Mango, serving leg and face.

Dr. Steph

A Conversation with Dr. Stephanie Andrea Allen

A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by Lauren Garretson of The Minnesota Review. Here’s an excerpt from that interview and you can click the link below to read the rest of our conversation.

This is the sixth in a series of blogs written by the editorial staff of the minnesota review interviewing editors and folks in publishing. We hope that these will shed some light on the industry and help you learn more about how, where, and why to submit your work. 

I had the pleasure of speaking with Stephanie Andrea Allen, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of BLF Press, earlier this month. Stephanie is a native southerner and out Black lesbian writer, scholar and educator, as well as the founder and editor-in-chief of BLF Press. Created in 2014 in response to the various struggles marginalized women so often face in the publishing industry, BLF Press identifies itself as an independent Black feminist press dedicated to amplifying the work of women of color. Stephanie has also co-founded the Black Lesbian Literary Collective, which seeks to cultivate a supportive writing community for queer women of color.

Lauren Garretson (LG) What led you to start BLF Press?

Stephanie Andrea Allen (SAA): I started BLF Press when I was still in graduate school working on my dissertation. I had been researching Black lesbian writers for a few years, and I came to realize that the challenges that the women faced in regards to publishing still existed (lack of diversity in publishing; the [false] notion that lesbian literature was now “mainstream;” lack of access to agents, editors, and other publishing professionals; and more than anything, the notion that our stories were somehow unworthy or had no literary merit). I decided right then that I could do something about that. I was also inspired by Lisa C. Moore, Founder and Publisher at Redbone Press, as well as Barbara Smith, who co-founded Kitchen Table Women of Color Press back in 1980 with her sister Beverly. Kitchen Table’s work changed my life, so I knew that the work of Black lesbian publishers and editors was integral to Black lesbian literary history. Still, I realized that there was great risk involved, so I spent a year researching the publishing industry and small presses and saving as much money as I could. My goal was to give us the best odds at survival, success even, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past five years.

Continue reading here.