Confession: I am an intense book blerd.
Because of that, I love reading any and everything I can get my hands on. However, as an avid reader, I've noticed a lack of diversity in the books I come across and the characters that lead them. It's made me notice that as a whole, the publishing industry could use a little more color.
That's not to say that there aren't phenomenal writers of colors out there, because there are, but there is still more work to be done and ground to be covered. Prime example – two years ago, I interned at a literary agency in New York City. And it was there that I learned, on average, the black community only buys about two books a year. Compared to the 10 books the average white person buys, these jarring statistics systematically lead to the black community being underserved in the publishing world. What's even more interesting perhaps is the fact that says the demographic most likely to buy a book is the college educated black woman.
I can't help but think that there's a connection between not feeling like books are made with us in mind and us buying books. And that's where the issue lies.
In my quest for dope reads, I stumbled across four businesses that seek to prioritize POC representation in literature by bringing attention to books written by us and with us in mind. They are killing the game and redefining what it means to be mainstream reads. My reading list and I personally owe them a huge thank you, hopefully this article will do.
Well-Read Black Girl
Well-Read Black Girl started out as a personal blog and transformed into an empire of sorts. It is blog and brand dedicated to the phenomenal black women on our bookshelves – past, present, and the novel reads not yet born. What makes Well Read Black Girl stand out is their commitment to black women in literature. In giving a voice and platform to these readers, authors, and books, Well-Read Black Girl has created a niche audience and given them something never seen before in the book industry – women they can see themselves in consistently. Each month, members meet up to discuss plot twists and favorite characters over brunch. I'm so here for it.
Coloring Books
Ebony LaDelle is the CEO and founder of Coloring Books™, a newsletter and Instagram page featuring authors of color and books with diverse casts. It's safe to say that Coloring Books ™ is here to put a little more color into your inbox and hopefully your reading list. Ebony had this to say about creating the platform:
"I started Coloring Books out of frustration. I had been in publishing for a few years, and unlike my experience at Howard University, where I was able to market books from some of the greatest black storytellers of our time, past and present, I had a bit of a culture shock coming into a predominantly white industry that didn't know how to reach minority consumers. On the flip side, I heard countless times from people of color that had a hard time finding authentic and native storytelling for them or their little one. And that's how Coloring Books was born, to sort of be a hub where people can go to find books of color, and publishers could go to reach consumers."
Noir Reads
Noir Reads is a subscription box service featuring black authors that includes a reading guide and access to an online book forum. What I love so much about Noir Reads is that it allows black readers to connect with each other. While reading books by black authors is a treat, it is even better when you can talk about it with your fellow brothas and sistas. Noir Reads allows for conversation surrounding black literature to be normalized, which is the first step to black literature being highly regarded and canonized.
We Need Diverse Books
"Imagine a world in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book."
We Need Diverse Books is committed not only to finding more people of color in the pages of books, but also to finding more people of color employed in the publishing industry - particularly in the realm of children's lit. They serve as a blog and resource for many offering book recs, awards, scholarships, and events saluting diverse authors. What makes them stand out from the rest is that they embody intersectional experiences, and vouch for every minority's representation. Until all people are equal, none of us are. Seeing that in the books we read is more important than ever, and We Need Diverse Books knows that.
Is there anything at the top of your reading list this year? Let us know in the comments below.
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The essence of effortless poise and refinement shines bright through the iconic university colors of indigo blue, red, and white. Every October, Howard University students, alumni, staff, and friends gather on the prestigious campus in Washington, D.C. to take part in time-honored traditions and events, which is Homecoming. This year's theme, “The Meccaverse,” was a week-long celebration of Howard University’s heritage, including the Homecoming football game and Bison Pep Rally, the Fashion Show, Greek Life Step Show, Homecoming Day of Service, Lavender Reception, and the iconic Yard Fest Concert.
As 2024 marked the 100th anniversary of the Howard Bison trek back to The Mecca and after two years of virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was to be a celebration of a lifetime. We enlisted HU alumnus Sharmaine Harris, a luxury retail buyer, as she revisited her alma mater as eyes on the yard for fashion-forward outfits mixed with personal style and campus pride for the weeklong celebration.
Before we get to the looks, discover how attending Howard University impacted her career in fashion and her day-to-day style:
Credit: Sharmaine and Friends
xoNecole: Describe your personal style. Did attending Howard have any impact on developing it?
Sharmaine: Howard taught me that there’s no such thing as being TOO dressed. There’s always a reason to “put it on” and look presentable, even if it’s just for a day of classes. Standing out was celebrated and encouraged with my peers embracing the opportunity, giving me the confidence to try new styles and trends.
xoNecole: How did Howard shape your career as a luxury buyer?
Sharmaine: I studied Fashion Merchandising, through which I was fortunate to have professors who were very connected to the industry and able to give first-hand accounts of opportunities and what to expect post-college. I was also able to build a network through my peers and other Howard Alum, which has opened doors to endless possibilities both within fashion as well as daily life.
The same confidence instilled in me through my style has also been rooted deeply within me as I step into any role or project I’m faced with throughout my career.
xoNecole: This year marked Howard’s 100th-anniversary Homecoming celebration. Can you describe what the weekend looked and felt like?
Sharmaine: I’ve gone to many Howard Homecomings since graduating, but this year’s 100th anniversary felt like a huge family reunion filled with nothing but love. It was beautiful to see so many Bison return home looking great and radiating joy. It was beautiful!
xoNecole: What makes Howard fashion different from other HBCUs?
Sharmaine: Being that Howard is The Mecca, we have such a diverse population with each individual having their own spin on fashion. Getting dressed is second nature for us, but the layered confidence is our secret ingredient to make any look come together. Through that comfortability to push barriers, we have a legacy of setting trends, as indicated by the many alumni we have in the fashion and entertainment industry.
Keep scrolling for the top street style moments from The Mecca's Homecoming weekend:
Credit: Lacey Gallagher
Credit: Alan Henderson
Credit: JaLynn Davis
Credit: Dylan Davis
Credit: Caleb Smith
Credit: Kendall W.
Credit: Jordyn Finney
Credit: Vanessa Nneoma
Credit: Dr. Mariah Sankey-Thomas
Credit: Caleb MacBruce
Credit: Tiffany Battle
Credit: Teniola
Credit: Ilahi Creary
Credit: Nicolas Ryan Grant
Credit: Dylan Davis
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
Featured image courtesy of Sharmaine Harris
Cardi B, who endorsed Harris, said she felt "really sad" after Trump's win and, in an Instagram Live, added, “I swear to God, I’m gonna f**k you up. Get away from me! I’m sick of you!” referring to Trump supporters.
The Aftermath of Kamala Harris' Loss
Supporters react as Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris concedes the election during a speech at Howard University on November 6, 2024, in Washington, DC.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Shavon Arline-Bradley, president and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), told The Guardian that Harris’s campaign of inclusion and strong support from the Democrats’ most loyal voting block – Black women – could not withstand “the wall of white nationalism and racism and classism and sexism and misogyny.”
Another woman told the publication that when she “woke up on 6 November and saw that Trump had won the election,” she was “disgusted, disappointed, just annoyed, really annoyed.”
While feelings of disgust, annoyance, fear, anger, and anxiety might be quite justified considering the contentious nature of Trump’s campaign, his felonious background, his statements on foreign policy, and the violent behavior of his supporters, there are key lessons from Harris’ loss that can we all can be inspired by.
As Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected to become president of an African nation, wrote for AllAfrica.com, “Seeing Kamala on the campaign trail, strong and resilient, gave girls and women everywhere a vision of what's possible. Her journey reminded us all that setbacks don't define you; they shape you.”
“This campaign has shown that even when the ultimate goal is just out of reach, the courage to try again matters. Women are ready, willing, and more than capable. The path may be tough, but it is also wide open.”
Here are a few more reasons Harris’s loss shows the power of failure and how we can learn more from a failure than from success:
1. Failure builds resilience unlike any win could.
Oftentimes, tying the word “resilient” to Black women can seem like a problematic broken record, but the truth remains that resilience is a vital trait for leaders in business.
As actress, producer, and entrepreneur Issa Rae has said, “You didn’t fail. You’re still alive. Are you stopping? … You have an opportunity to continue. … I grow and I get better.” Before producing and starring in HBO’s Insecure, she’d taken a break from college to pursue shopping a script in Hollywood and going for that full-time and failed.
That was at least 20 years ago. She’d press on to launch her own YouTube show that later morphed into a top-rated iconic HBO drama. She and the Hoorae Media team have brought several other scripts to screen, with Rap Sh!t, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Sweet Life: Los Angeles, to name a few.
2. Failure allows us to exercise our ability to pivot, innovate, and incorporate new strategies and approaches.
One good and pivotal example of this is Oprah Winfrey’s foray into launching a network. According to the Los Angeles Times, she famously said, “A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness,” a key notion when, during the early days of launching her network, the ratings were tanking. OWN just didn’t offer what was marketable or competitive at the time.
The network adjusted its offerings, adding reality TV and celebrity-focused programming as part of a larger plan to compete in the market. Today, it’s seen record ratings quarters and continues to offer top shows like Queen Sugar, Belle Collective, and the Love & Marriage franchise.
When the Lip Bar founder Melissa Butler appeared on Shark Tank in 2025, all five investors rejected her idea, calling the lipsticks “clown makeup” and “colorful cockroaches.” Butler took one of the judge’s more constructive feedback, becoming the face of the business, and more than a decade later, the brand is a multi-million-dollar company with an expanded line of cosmetics sold in large retailers like Ulta Beauty and Target.
3. Failure prompts a bold humility that allows for authentic connection with others and better servant leadership.
Oprah has also said, after Beloved was noted as a “flop” by her agent at the time, “It taught me to never again–never again, ever–put all of your hopes, expectations, eggs in the basket of box office. Do the work as an offering, and then whatever happens, happens.”
The best leaders know that they’re not the smartest in the room, must sometimes lean on and help others in order to truly be great in their role, and that humility is a quality that leads to sustainable success.
Think about these words from another woman who is a clear leader in her lane: “I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall,” tennis champion and investor Serena Williams told The National. “I have fallen several times. Each time I just get up and dust myself off and I pray, and I’m able to do better or I’m able to get back to the level that I want to be on.”
What Could Be Next For Kamala
While there are no confirmed reports of Harris’ plans once she’s officially out of office in a few months, there are many options for further civic involvement, advocacy, legislative change, and even another run in 2028. One expert points to the fact that the previous candidate, John Kerry, lost and came back as a cabinet member in the Barack Obama administration.
(It’s also worth noting that Shirley Chisholm, the first Black candidate to seek a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, continued serving in the House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid for the nomination. In 1977, she was elected as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus.)
Other experts say there’s the option of running for Congress or governor to make an impact in those roles. She could also start her own law firm or serve in other ways within the private sector.
If Harris is holding to the values and drive she exhibited in the 107 days she had to campaign for U.S. president, this isn’t quite the end for her legacy, and this so-called “failure” will only be a catalyst for an even greater movement toward service and advancement.
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Featured image by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images