June 7, 2020

Dear Dear Friends,

I woke up this morning thinking, wow, I just want to go back to not living in History! Turns out it's incredibly draining living through unprecedented times.

I hope you're feeling healthy and energized.

Thank you to the many friends who've reached out to me and my loved ones to say hi, take my emotional temperature, as I take my real temperature once a week before I head up to see my 90 year old mom on the UES.

We have three generations living through this, and it's fascinating to see what has changed so radically in 90 years, and what has not.

A lot of white people I know are looking for concrete ways to help. Here's my deep wish.

Most of you know that my daughter Lissie published her debut novel just a few days ago, not even a full month. It's received wonderful attention, more than I've ever received in my 30 year career as an artist. I recognized immediately two years ago, when she shared the manuscript with me (I think I was last) what it cost her to write Catherine House.

I've noticed that little is being said about the book as a technical feat, as a work of art. But as many of us know, art does not just happen. I believe it's the highest expression of the human condition.

If you want to help, please support black artists. We have books and paintings, libretti and lithographs, photographs and sculptures, and websites galore with evidence of our highest ideals and aspirations all laid out. I've experienced racism most deeply as an active refusal to be interested, rather than as blunt force. Both can be deadly. This neglect has not been benign.

I created my Gowanus project space Artpoetica to support marginalized makers in particular. Artpoetica keeps me sane and hopeful. I cannot be in the streets right now, but I'm overjoyed to share links to the websites of some astounding (and I do mean astounding) black artists, and one Chinese American, and one Korean American artist doing exceptional work. Please support them by buying their books, or their works of art now, or in the future. Feel free to pass on this list.

I know many more fantastic women artists and writers than men. That doesn't mean there are more, but as a black woman artist myself, I'm particularly sensitive to the peculiar challenges we face. The four male poets listed here are truly breathtaking writers.

Thank you thank you thank you to all of you who've indeed supported my work over decades. I've never taken your investment for granted, and have always understood that it's about more than money.

Here we go:

Fabiola Jean–Louis
http://www.fabiolajeanlouis.com/

Alexandria Smith
https://www.alexandriasmith.com/

Krista Franklin
http://www.kristafranklin.com/

Sam Vernon
https://www.samvernon.com/

Rachel Eliza Griffiths
http://www.rachelelizagriffiths.com/

Marisa Williamson
http://www.marisawilliamson.com/

Hong Chun Zhang
https://www.hongchunzhang.com/

Tracy K. Smith
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/tracy-k-smith

Lourdes Sanchez
https://lourdesanchez.com/

Robin Coste Lewis
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/robin-coste-lewis

Jee Hwang
http://www.jeehwangstudio.com/