Empower East Baltimore's Black Women to Become Authors
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Black women's stories deserve to be told with ease. As an author, book designer and self-publishing coach, the last 12 years have proved this to be the most true and heart wrenching. Everyone should be able to tell their story with confidence. This Giving Tuesday, consider us on your list!
This is a 6-month pilot workshop dedicated to helping 3-5 for Black Women of East Baltimore and aspiring authors take their creative ideas from concept to print.
Hey, my name is Nikiea. Since my Grandma migrated here from Irmo, South Carolina, East Baltimore has been my home (for I was a pinch of hope within her womb, through my Mama!).
Born a Patterson Park and Chase Street baby, for years I was known as the little girl in my family's restaurant “ringing up the orders”.
We were raised as store kids, listening to the stories and feeding our neighborhood; with the comfort of well seasoned collard greens and freshly homemade potato salad.
Simultaneously I was raised in the Berea neighborhood, now known as Fort Worthington, where my Grandma let us rip and run through the alley from light pole to light pole, never going past the street. Some afternoons I spent hours typing Grandma’s handwritten folders of short stories and poems. We assembled them into binders with those shiny plastic sleeves. She read them aloud at time as I typed. We recited poetry like “Hiawatha’s Daughter” for fun and studied rhythm and poise of classic poetry. Often times she’d tell me stories of her Grandmother. Teaching me about my great-great Grandmother's journey from plantation work to sharecropping in deep South Carolina.
I’m privileged to have sat at an elder's feet. I give thanks to the stories that have molded me.
Professionally, I’ve supported writers and creatives with over 100 independently published book projects across the US, as well as Morocco and Dubai.
As a mother, as an entrepreneur, and a Black woman telling my story is all I want to do. It consumes me sometimes and I’m privileged to have the tools to share the lessons and adventures of my life. Over the years of providing publishing workshops, I've always planned to set a focus on the stories of East Baltimore. Next year, i'd like to provide aspiring authors with the opportunity to create their own independently published books with zero financial burden for production and proof printing costs.
Join me on this journey to empower Black Women's stories of East Baltimore!
Thank you for reading. Take care, and may you be blessed for your sharing!
Pilot Workshop:
This 6-month intensive program, set to begin in March 2025, will offer 3-5 writers, artists, photographers, and creatives the opportunity to complete a memoir, novel, or visual art book, from initial brainstorming to final printing. By participating, these creatives will learn the essentials of independent publishing, including content development, editing, design, marketing, and self-promotion.
This pilot workshop is the first step toward establishing a long-term publishing program for East Baltimore, and your support will help us create a space where local residents can confidently express themselves through publishing, preserve their stories, and celebrate their unique voices.
How Your Contribution Will Be Used:
Every dollar raised will go directly into creating an impactful and comprehensive workshop experience for participants. Here’s how your support will make a difference:
Planning and Recruitment
A majority of funds will provide room for planning a strong pilot workshop. As well as outreach and recruitment strategies.
Hiring for Workshop Facilitation and Guest Speakers
Covering skilled facilitators; and including guest social work professionals, authors, photographers, and published artists, to guide participants through each stage of publishing.
Editing and Design Hands-on Support
Participants will have access to editorial and design support to ensure that their final projects are polished and ready for publication. These professional services are critical to help each participant bring their story to life with clarity and quality.
Printing and Production Costs with Local Maryland Printers
Each participant will receive professionally printed copies of their work utilizing local printing press and print on demand distributors. This funding will cover the cost of producing high-quality prints that participants can share with their communities beyond our collective book signing.
Wishlist: Workshop Coaches, Equipment and Software
Each participant will be provided with the necessary equipment and publishing, writing and life coaches ensuring they have everything they need to create, refine, and publish their projects without financial barriers.
Real-World Participant Needs and Accessibility
Each participant will be provided transportation to in-person sessions as well as meals and refreshments. This is an important part of the process to ensure we are well and able to provide the best space for creativity and productivity. Wellness checkins and discussions with mental health professionals will be encouraged throughout the process. I understand as an author of three books that story sharing can be intense!
(I'd love to provide a relaxing writing day as an incentive in the near future.)
Why a Pilot Workshop for East Baltimore’s Black women:
Black women’s stories, particularly in communities like East Baltimore, are not just stories—they are acts of radical rest. As discussed in Rest as Resistance by Tricia Hersey, storytelling can be a form of reclaiming space, asserting agency, and healing from the burdens of systemic oppression. For Black women, whose lives have historically been marginalized, the act of telling and writing our stories is a way to rest from erasure and misrepresentation.
By engaging in storytelling, we reclaim our time and our narrative. We affirm that our experiences, identities, and histories are worth sharing, and we assert that our voices will not be silenced. The publishing workshop series is a place where East Baltimore residents can engage in this powerful act of resistance, rest, and restoration, while gaining the skills they need to publish their stories independently.
Join the vision to Bring The Stories Within Us to Life
Your support will make this pilot workshop a reality. By contributing, you are directly investing in East Baltimore’s creative community and helping to preserve the stories, wisdom, and perspectives of its residents. Together, we can build a foundation that empowers people to publish their own work, fostering a legacy of storytelling and self-expression that will inspire future generations.
What happens if the goal isn’t immediately met?
I’m from East Baltimore, we’re going to get this project done regardless! Excited to announce that two participating aspiring authors have been confirmed. Every penny raised will go towards lifting some of the challenges for me to continue fundraising. I believe that all things will happen in time.
Thank you for believing in the power of community stories and for helping us make this opportunity a reality for women of East Baltimore. With your support, we can give voice to the incredible stories waiting to be told.
With gratitude,
Nikiea Redmond
Founder, Publish Your Way & Three time Author from East Baltimore
Organizer
Nikiea Redmond
Organizer
Baltimore, MD