This Guardian article about racism in the romance industry focused on a different chapter. I meant it when I said I was pushing for change in my local chapter, and we do have some signs of progress. But of course the tests won't stop. As this article notes, the chapter in question had a prior president that was Black. So does mine. So does RWA. So has this country. Each of those was surely a sign of progress but not a sign that the work was done.
It's easy to talk about how the whole world is racist so the problem is so huge that we can't just fix this chapter or this organization. And I agree, but that's really true about everything in an organization. Members cycle in and out, their needs will change, the industry changes. But we can keep pushing for the change we want. And yes my personal goal is to make it a really uncomfortable place for racists and bigots to be. And that only happens through constant work. I have days where it is discouraging to explain to yet one more person that no, people of all shades and across the gender and sexuality spectrum write romance. They have and still do. Good stuff.
And look YA isn't off the hook here. Knitting isn't off the hook. Corporate America isn't off the hook. Pushing in as many places as we can will help us all.
