“How to be a Black Author”

The author chose a writing program primarily for financial reasons, specifically to receive funding.

This decision was also influenced by the absence of Black instructors in their previous education, including in writing and literature courses.

The author mentions having studied math and Black Studies, but highlights that these subjects did not include instruction from Black educators.

Black Studies refers to academic disciplines focused on the history, culture, politics, and experiences of Black people, often emerging from civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States.

The author’s choice reflects a broader context where Black voices in literature and education were historically underrepresented or excluded from mainstream academic spaces.