I vividly recall the vibrant yellow, fine phraseology, and academic accuracy that branded Free Black Thought when I stumbled across their content in the Spring of ‘21. In a sea of hot-takes and clapbacks, FBT’s finesse rose above the noise, as they elevated the diverse viewpoints of black voices, and elevated them well.
Months later, I met the team behind the non-profit for coffee in North Hollywood. It was reassuring to know that some of the individuals fighting for viewpoint diversity were familiar with the illiberal limitations of Los Angeles. Towards the end of our hang, I was privy to news of their Substack launch—the Journal of Free Black Thought, which has since platformed numerous voices shattering the stiff narrative on what blackness can and can not be.
Since that initial meeting, I’ve had the honor of collaborating with
, the editor of Free Black Thought, on many occasions. But our most recent mind-meld was uniquely delightful.We hosted a Substack writer meetup!
On Friday evening, we were blessed with the company of writers whose work ranged from script to short story, with subject matter that stretched across children’s, monsters and memoir.
But what I loved most was that despite the diversity of backgrounds, convictions and focus of craft, we simply enjoyed an evening of being people—humans committed to the city of stories. Humans with common pains and joys. Humans who fought past the sprawl of hills and valleys to build IRL community in cutthroat Cali.
I hope you can join us the next time we meet up.
Thank you to all the writers that made this meetup memorable. Thank you, Jake, Mike, and the entire team at Free Black Thought.
Thank you, Dan, Alexa, and Austin at Brews Brothers for fostering the best environment for community building and arranging a space for us to mingle on a busy Friday night.
And thank you for this lovely reflection, Wink.
Thank you Substack—this platform is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s what brought us all together. Thank you
and for making the opportunity to host a meetup a reality. (If you are curious about hosting a meetup in your area, check out this page.)An extra warm thank you to our friends at
—Brent, Maizy, and Reid—for spreading the word.As always, I thank God for His daily mercies and weaving beauty into our lives.
This was a great idea! Kudos to you and Jake for the Burbank Happening!
Love to see this - keep up the great work!