Worse than White

  Worse than White by Ginger Skinner   Abigail was born too light. Too light for her momma and aunties. All of them varying shades of deep brown and proud of it. “I don’t know how that child ended up so light. Everybody say her momma laid down with one of them Proctors over in Birchwood,” said Aunt Millie. “Just as pale as a ghost. Like a lil white girl,” added Aunt Colleen. Shavonne from sixth grade was inky dark just like Aunt Colleen and described Abigail the very same way.  It tended to ooze out of her mouth each time her fist met Abigail’s face. “Dumb ass white girl!” The last time it happened, Shavonne hooked Abigail’s leg with her foot just as she stepped off the school bus. Abigail landed hard, face first on the sidewalk, and all the fifth and sixth-graders watched as Shavonne hovered over her and spat out, “You think you better! Don’t you? Well, you ain’t.” Shavonne’s words bruised Abigail. Abigail had long blamed her father for her peachy-beige complexion and smattering of freckles. She’d suspected he was the culprit because she heard her momma once call him a “redbone devil.” And one time...
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Writing in the Margins: Questioning

  Throughout this week, Perigee will be featuring writing from participants of  Apogee Journal and NY Writers Coalition’s first ever Writing in the Margins Workshop. On the first night of our eight week course we asked participants to write down questions: Questions about writing, writing and justice, writing and identity.  The goal was not to answer these questions, but rather to collectively identify what we need and want to question. To begin this series, we’d like to share these questions with you.     Social Justice Do you have to be angry to create good social justice writing? What is the goal (‘point’ seems too blunt) of writing with an awareness of social justice? Is it focused on the present, the near future, or the way future future? How do I write with urgency without being pedantic? (I.e. I want to help push a socialist revolution without anyone realizing it.) How do I use my writing as a tool for social change? Should writing be prioritized over organizing? Ah!! How can we imagine what collective liberation will look like? What gets in our human way of figuring out how to redistribute wealth? What do you read to start a revolution?...
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The Star Side of Bird Hill: An Interview with Naomi Jackson

  Apogee Issue 5 contributor Naomi Jackson launches her first novel Tuesday, June 30. The Star Side of Bird Hill is the story of a family, three generations of women living in Barbados and Brooklyn. The weight of diaspora and separation, the weight of motherhood and childhood, of sexuality and desire swings pendulously through the pages of this remarkable story. Cecca Ochoa (CO): First of all, congratulations on writing a gorgeous and skillful debut novel! I couldn’t put it down.  On the eve of the release, how are you feeling? Naomi Jackson (NJ): Thanks so much for this interview invitation, and for your wonderful questions, Cecca. I’m so glad to be speaking to Apogee. I have a literary crush on you all. A couple days out from book launch, I’m feeling good. About a month ago, I turned the corner from super angsty to just a little bit angsty. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by writers, friends, and family who encourage me to slow down and enjoy the process of publishing my debut novel. Tiphanie Yanique and Tayari Jones are two guiding lights. I was so pleased to meet Edwidge Danticat when she read at Hunter College in...
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