Callaloo Contributor Feature: Lori L. Tharps
Callaloo Contributor Feature: Lori L. Tharps
Continuing our Callaloo Community Spotlight series, we welcome Author Lori L. Tharps to the Callaloo blog. Lori's book review, "The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir by Martha S. Jones" appears in Callaloo 43.2.
Can you share about how your creative journey or background led you to
Callaloo?
When I moved to Spain to launch my creative writing career, I realized I still wanted to teach and motivate Black and other POC women writers after nearly 15 years teaching in academia. So, I created The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary, a membership community for BIPoC women writers who take their writing seriously. After being a writer and author for over 20 years, and given the current political climate, I know women writers of the global majority are the ones who need the most protection and support. The ones who need community now more than ever. Creating The Sanctuary was done as an act of service, but it has been such a gift to me personally and as a writer. Never have I been more convinced that writers need community, not only to survive, but to thrive and persevere long-term.
What does being a part of Callaloo mean to you as a writer?
Having my work appear in Callaloo means a lot to me a Black American writer. It feels like gaining entry into "the" club of Black America's greatest writers. And it also feels like being a part of Black literary history. It is truly an honor.
What inspired you to start writing in the first place?
I started writing when I was eight years old because my mother bought me an antique Remington Typewriter. I immediately fell in love with the idea of getting the stories in my head onto a blank page, and then sharing the stories with my family members. It was such a joy for me and I got a lot of positive feedback from my aunties, so I kept going. I can admit that I am a writer who loves writing, but I also love being read.
Is there anything else you would like readers to know about your work or about you?
My goal as a writer is to center the lives of African American people, whether it is in fiction or nonfiction. I am particularly interested in sharing stories that disrupt the false narratives and limited versions of Black authenticity. My career has mainly been built on writing nonfiction, but now I'm transitioning into fiction, but my objectives as a storyteller remain the same.
Is there a quote that has guided you on your writing journey?
"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou
Connect with Lori & Support her work:
Become a Callaloo Supporter
Founded in 1976,
Callaloo has arguably been the most important and prestigious Black literary journal for the last 50 years. So many of the greatest literary voices of the late 20th and early 21st century have made their debuts or built their careers in the pages of
Callaloo: Rita Dove, John Edgar Wideman, Natasha Tretheway, Percival Everett, Tracy K. Smith, Kevin Young, Carl Phillips, Yusef Komunyakaa, and the list goes on.
We're so grateful for your support as we move into our 50th anniversary year. Thank you for supporting literary and visual art from across the African diaspora. Your gift helps ensure that the journal will be strong for another 50 years! Donate to the Callaloo 5oth Anniversary Campaign to make an impact today.
