under the 2LP EXPLORATIONS IN DIVERSITY SERIES
to publish this May and June 2017[/trx_title]
2Leaf Press announces the publication of two new books under its 2LP EXPLORATIONS IN DIVERSITY series: BLACK LIVES HAVE ALWAYS MATTERED, A Collection of Essays, Poems, and Personal Narratives, edited by Abiodun Oyewole, on May 31, 2017; and THE BEIGING OF AMERICA, Personal Narratives About Being Mixed Race in the 21st Century, edited by Cathy J. Schlund-Vials, Sean Frederick Forbes and Tara Betts, with an Afterword by Heidi W. Durrow on June 30, 2017. Both books are available for preorder at Amazon.com.
The series, 2LP EXPLORATIONS IN DIVERSITY, created in 2015 by publisher Gabrielle David and Sean Frederick Forbes, Assistant Professor-in-Residence and Director of Creative Writing, at University of Connecticut-Storrs, was conceived at a time when racial tensions in the United States escalated in a way that has not been seen in decades. In 2016, and with Forbes as the series editor, David and Forbes edited and published the series’ first book, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA? Breaking the White Code of Silence, A Collection of Personal Narratives, with an introduction by racial justice educator, Debby Irving, and an afterword by African American scholar and poet, Tara Betts. Our forthcoming book due to publish May 31, 2017, BLACK LIVES HAVE ALWAYS MATTERED, presents a collection of works that delve deep into the psyche of being black in America today, as its contributors survey the historical and contemporary ravages of racism and its persistence of structural inequality. THE BEIGING OF AMERICA, due to publish June 30, 2017, explores mixed race alienation, with people often forced to choose between races and cultures in their search for self-identity.
The goal of 2LP EXPLORATIONS IN DIVERSITY is to examine diversity, race and racism in America. It’s a series that presents a myriad of perspectives that have either been elided or not delved into about American society and culture, using personal narratives and literature to engage in honest and meaningful conversations. The series’ purpose is twofold: to feature critical thinking across politics and the social sciences from new and established scholars and authors that explore a wide range of topics; and to publish books in the form of creative non-fiction, including memoir, life-writing, literary reportage and essays that introduce fresh new perspectives to readers.
Scholarly works on culture and race definitely have a place in academia. 2Leaf Press’ goal is to publish works that are accessible to the general public. “We had a growing interest in the role that narratives can play in the construction of individual and cultural identities,” explains Forbes, “because the easiest way to understand the mindset of a culture is to understand its stories.” The publisher and series editor both agree that narratives refine a personal sense of self, as well as one’s sense within a larger society in which we live. And the stories we share have the ability to positively inform, unite, change opinions, and more importantly, help us to better relate with others in the world around us.
“In these personal narratives, one will see that there are many dialogues enacted on the page,” explains Forbes. “Writing any type of personal narrative is challenging, uncomfortable, and often times painful, but it allows one to initiate an internal dialogue about aspects of one’s society and culture that are unsettling. Just as in WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO BE WHITE IN AMERICA?, the contributors in THE BEIGING OF AMERICA and BLACK LIVES HAVE ALWAYS MATTERED have taken on a brave and monumental task by speaking candidly about race.”
“We need a new, national conversation about race,” adds David. “We need to understand how this black and white paradigm touches all spheres of American life, and how it also affects white people, people of color, and people of mixed race ancestry. And we need to begin engaging in these conversations as soon as possible. There are no good guys or bad guys here; we just need to start talking and listening to each other.”
BLACK LIVES HAVE ALWAYS MATTERED, A Collection of Essays, Poems, and Personal Narratives
Edited by Abiodun Oyewole
Publication Date: May 31, 2017; Preorder Available
Print: $24.99; eBook: $9.99
THE BEIGING OF AMERICA, Personal Narratives About Being Mixed Race in the 21st Century
Edited by Cathy J. Schlund-Vials, Sean Frederick Forbes and Tara Betts
Afterword by Heidi W. Durrow
Publication Date: June 30, 2017; Preorder Available
Print: $24.99; eBook: $9.99
