Coel Taught Me
“Don’t be Afraid to Disappear”
It’s June. Halfway through 2022. Time goes so quickly these days, the last few years melting into one giant bubbling stew of uncertainty, risk, anxiety, frustration, and, if you’re like me, unexpected but wholly welcome moments of hope, love, encouragement, and beauty. I like acknowledging the midpoint of the year. Maybe it’s the former athlete in me remembering what it was like in the locker room at halftime, knowing that the game can still be won or lost, that half a game is still a lot of game left to make changes to what’s not working, to double-down on what is working, or both.
This halfway point has me feeling a certain release. Important professional transitions and personal milestones leading the way, I am thinking through what I need to do to shake myself loose of “good enough” as writer and artist. I am considering new approaches to my creative practice alongside deepened dedication to the approaches that have served me well. This reflective and introspective journey got me to thinking about Michaela Coel, an amazingly talented writer and actor whose work continues to push me beyond my comfort zones and what I think or know to be possible as an artist.
In her Emmy acceptance speech for outstanding writing for a limited or anthology series, actor and writer Michaela Coel directed her words to writers specifically. She said:
“I just wrote a little something for writers, really. Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that is uncomfortable. I dare you. In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves, and to, in turn, feel the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success. Do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence. ”
I’ve been thinking about Coel’s words since I heard them, and while I’m not sure I can completely disappear at this time, I can step back in ways that get me close to that sentiment of submerging myself into silence, into my work, as deeply as I can over the next couple months.
My submersion, which I’m calling a summer sabattical more casually, includes a social media detox and out of office message on my email. I didn’t get into any of the residencies I applied for this summer, so I’ll be mostly at home, writing and reading every day, as well has holding intentional space for rest, play, and meditation.
I’m thankful to live in a comfortable home, where I can psuedo-residency for a few months, and though I’ll miss having my buddy with me (Knight was an integral part of my rest and play time plans), I will celebrate his spirit with naps and lots of time outside.
The chances to rock with me are limited until August, so I’d love to see your face, share a hug, and get alllllllll the good vibes for a summer of creative genius, creative abundance, and creative freedom. Thank you in advance. I love you, too!
Pride Panel at Tomobolo Books!
Join some outstanding local LGBTQIA+ writers at Tombolo Books for a roundtable discussion about writing form and craft! The panel, moderated by Silk Jazmyne Hindus, will include
Sheree L. Greer, Tenea D. Johnson, and Maria Ingrande Mora.
Tombolo Books (2153 1st Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712) is proud to present this panel in partnership with local author Chelsea Catherine and through the generous funding and support provided by the Gobioff Foundation.
Radical Pleasure: Closing Reception and Panel
Join Museum Director Charlene Farrington for an in-depth conversation with Radical Pleasure exhibition curator Tayina Deravile and featured artists/co-curators Khaulah Naima Nuruddin and Sheree L. Greer. Radical Pleasure, an exhibition pairing literary and visual art, will be on display through June 30, 2022, at the Spady Museum.
Hear more about this second iteration of the reciprocal ekphrastic show, the importance of the show’s theme, and the behind-the-scenes trust, friendship, and creative vision that goes into putting the series together.
Meet me in Albuquerque: GCLS Conference
The GCLS’s annual conference is the premier literary event for both authors and readers. The event brings together readers, fans, writers, editors and publishers to celebrate women loving women and sapphic literature. The 18th Annual Conference will be held in Albuquerque, NM beginning on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 and ending on Sunday, July 10, 2022.
Sheree L. Greer features as conference keynote!
