Читать книгу In Audre’s Footsteps - Heidi R. Lewis - Страница 10

One of the first ideas I had while dreaming up the Witnessed Series was to curate a book based on correspondence between different Black community organisations in Germany and Black organisations in different English-speaking countries around the world: conversations which would transcend borders. I imagined an exchange between Black communities sharing wisdom and knowledge about empowerment, resistance, healing, and Black joy. I loved the book already before a single word had been written, before I could imagine what the cover would look like. However, I also knew that putting together a precious publication like this would require months and years of relationship-building. I would need to earn the deep-seated trust of people who would be most probably and quite understandably suspicious of my intentions. I quickly realised I would not be able to dedicate the emotional and physical energy required for such an undertaking.

And then, I received an email from one Heidi R. Lewis.

At the time, I had no idea what our contact would come to mean to me, but I did feel an instant connection. It was obvious Heidi shared my passion for people, for connecting, for Black feminism. I loved the idea she had for her new course: “Hidden Spaces, Hidden Narratives: Intersectionality Studies in Berlin” and was keen to lend my support. Her plan was ambitious, and her budget was modest (intentionally – so that the course would be accessible to students who need financial assistance), yet her commitment was sincere, and – a quality I always admire in a person – we could really laugh together. Since our initial contact back in November 2013, Heidi has put in a phenomenal amount of work into building lasting relationships with Black individuals and communities, as well as other people of color in Berlin. This was never exclusively an academic project. In Berlin she has found friends, family, loved-ones. The intensity of the relationships I describe is reflected in the quality of the intimate conversations published in this book. Relationships which have involved both joy and pain. Heidi has never shied away from navigating conflicts – rather she has embraced them, viewing them as learning opportunities. And in turn I have learnt so much from her.

In Audre’s Footsteps beautifully portrays intergenerational, queer feminist conversations, which reach across national boundaries and honor the visions of our ancestors. Each encounter is marked by a vulnerability and openness to express pain, and yet, simultaneously, the resulting exchange focuses on how to transform and transcend. To look beyond. This book is an incredible addition to the Witnessed Series and a precious gift to us all.

Sharon Dodua Otoo

Series Editor, Witnessed

October 2021