Kickstarter Progress Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 10, 2021

Black Youth in Minneapolis Publish Anthology as Means of Cultural Reparations

Rehumanize Me: A Black Youth Anthology is a collection of poetry and personal narratives written and edited by Black Twin Cities youth on themes of liberation, self-determination healing and Black joy.

Minneapolis, MN -The words of the young authors published in this book speak powerful truths. Rehumanize Me is an anthology written and led by Black youth from Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd and the uprising which began in their home neighborhood of South Minneapolis. From the joyful freedom of a fall bike ride to the hungry power of a phoenix rising from the ashes, the subjects this anthology tackles showcase the depth and diversity of experience our Black youth have faced in recent times. In these pages, readers of all backgrounds will find connections on themes  that include liberation, healing, self-determination, Black joy and so much more. 

This book began as part of a cultural reparations project with local Black-owned publisher Wise Ink collaborating with literary arts youth nonprofit 826 MSP. The project worked to amplify Black youth voices in the Twin Cities by centering their leadership in the creative process and compensating youth for their participation in the process. Dara Beevas, CEO at Wise Ink and creator of Project Exodus, a larger umbrella project supporting Black publishing explains, "this is a cultural reparations program for Black storytellers, artists, creatives, community organizers, and activists who are on the frontlines of helping heal our community. Each book in this project serves as a bridge to healing for black and brown communities and education for the general community while also being a financial vehicle for an author to reinvest in future projects if they choose to." 

This project was led by an editorial board of seven Black youth from Minneapolis. As student editorial board member Fredrick Emdin, age 18, says, "Black youth's voice has to be heard in every single space." After applying and being selected to join the board, these students (ages 15-18) developed submission guidelines, promoted the opportunity to peers, submitted and edited their own writing, edited writing from peers, and are now making final decisions on the design and professional aesthetic of the publication. Additionally, seven other young writers submitted pieces which were selected for final publication. This array of youth includes diverse representation across the African diaspora—including immigrant and mixed-race Black youth, Queer Black folx and those with disabilities. 

The book aims to show the diversity of the Black experience in the Twin Cities at this critical moment, all while humanizing the young people who are leading social change. Editorial Board member and 11th grader, Yahanna Mackbee states, "We’re not just a movement. We’re humans that have lives." 

In the book, young author Bezawit Abate questions the audience's perceptions of Black bodies in “When Will it End?” writing, “ You use your whiteness as a shield/ Get away with anything/ But I can’t even exercise/ Without getting shot and killed.” Fredrick Emdin focuses his piece on joy, stating, “Warm, Cold, my Joy is bold … My Joy bonded to my soul like a bike locked to a pole.”

The project is currently in the midst of launching a Kickstarter campaign to support the printing and promotion of the book. The Kickstarter will run from Nov. 10 to Dec.10 with a goal of raising $20,000 for the project. The Kickstarter aims to amplify these voices and get the book in front of as many readers as possible. The campaign can be found at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/826msp/rehumanize-me. 

“This year's Young Authors' Book Project places students in the center of the publishing process and creates pathways to the creative economy for our students. The result is a stunning publication and a time capsule for the pandemic and uprising of 2020,” said Samantha Sencer-Mura, executive director at 826 MSP. “Written during a time period of immense political and social upheaval for our city, in Rehumanize Me, these young writers turn our focus to reclaiming their humanity—full of complexities, nuance, and multitudes.” 

ABOUT 826 MSP

826 MSP convened the editorial board for this project and coordinates with our professional publishing partner, Wise Ink. 826 MSP is an arts education nonprofit which amplifies the voices of historically marginalized youth by cultivating the next generation of Twin Cities’ writers. Our mission is to empower underserved K-12 students to think creatively, write effectively, and succeed academically alongside a community of caring volunteers. 

MEDIA CONTACT

Samantha Sencer-Mura 

Executive Director, 826 MSP 

612-239-1398

samantha@826msp.org