I started my blog What Tami Said three years ago because I missed writing for my own pleasure. I missed playing with words. I had done so little of this since college. Also, as a progressive black woman, I often felt voiceless and isolated both in the mainstream media and in my racially homogenous and conservative community. So I became a blogger and found myself writing regularly about race, feminism, politics, pop culture and the places where these things intersect. Through blogging, I have learned that I am neither voiceless nor alone in my thinking about, say, the mainstream media’s concern trolling about black women and marriage and black men that are making a profession out of abetting this foolishness; the frustrating tendency of the Democratic Party to disown its base; or the cheesetastic goodness (and persistent racism, sexism, classism and general sketchiness) of “True Blood.”
What Tami Said opened the door to many other opportunities to share my voice—so much so that you are now more likely to see me everywhere but What Tami Said these days. I blog regularly at Change.org’s Race in America site. I co-edit Love Isn’t Enough, the sister site to Racialicious that deals specifically with race and parenting. I have a monthly blog called Colorstruck at Psychology Today, and I periodically contribute to Blogher. And, because I can’t resist a chance to talk about HBO’s aforementioned vampires and sex-fest, I take part in Racialicious’ “True Blood” roundtable and co-host a weekly show podcast. And…you’ll find me here at Feministe over the next two weeks.
I can’t tell you how honored I am to be asked to contribute to this community. It is honestly (cliché be damned) a dream come true. The other thing that blogging has done for me is to help me build new relationships with some really smart folks. I look forward to engaging in this community, where, I admit, I tend to lurk.
Just a word about my style: I try to moderate with a light touch to allow for a robust exchange of ideas, but I will work more aggressively if conversations turn marginalizing or create an unsafe space for discussion.
Thanks in advance for welcoming me into your space.