Imane Chafi

In Support of Black Lives Imane Chafi

Like many others on May 25th 2020, the writers of this anthology were horrified and traumatised to see the murder of George Floyd under the knee of law enforcement officials. But we were not shocked. This has happened far too many times for anyone to be shocked at police brutality, governmental ignorance, or racism on personal and systematic levels. But just because this is normalised doesn't mean we shouldn't do something about it. This anthology is a collection of writing off all kinds, from writers of all backgrounds. We have divided the book into two parts: Part 1 consists of writing about racism, personal experiences, and current events. Through informal essays we explore the UK and US histories of racism, how to educate ourselves and the people around us. Our poetry is bitingly raw, focusing on what it feels to be watching the protests and brutality unfolding, usually from behind a screen. Our short stories examine race from the viewpoint of the oppressed and the (remorseful) oppressor. Follow a survivor of the apocalypse on their search for life in our future, learn how literacy tests prevented people from voting, and experience the rallying cry of some of the finest writers and artists you will ever meet. Part 2 is for when you need a breather. We have fantastic fiction and phenomenal poetry from our talented minority writers who still wanted to contribute to the anthology but felt that everything had already been said about current events. What happens to a grad student under the blood moon? What happens when the tiny people who power your brain get into a turf war? Read this section to find out. Every penny of would-be profit from this anthology is going to charity. Two charities, to be exact: THE NATIONAL BAIL FUND NETWORK and KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMP. If you, like many, did not directly contribute to anti-racism funds, you can still make a difference by supporting this anthology. If you just want to educate yourself and read excellent fiction on the side, this is also the book for you.