Letter No.1
*For the writers and all other creatives who couldn't create
Dear Miners,
'Once upon a time there was a writer* who couldn't write because she thought she had too many problems' - Ama Ata Aidoo
It has been a while since you last heard from us on our side and I apologise for that. Life has been a series of really high highs and some very low lows lately, and I’m grateful for it, but it does mean that some things that are important to me have taken a back seat while I try to figure things out. One of those things is writing. The truth is that I haven’t liked writing for a while, and it’s because I’m writing from a place of obligation rather than passion, word to our Poetry & Fiction editor E.M. Ayovunefe who has been talking about this a lot during our weekly Team Meetings.
Many of us on the team have been feeling that way I’m afraid, but we’re working on it as a team and reminding ourselves that being creatives does not mean that we will create all the time, and it cannot mean that we are always creating for consumption. I know that capitalism has us on our knees, especially those of us who have made livelihoods from our creativity, and literally need to keep producing to stay alive. But we’ve been grappling with this capitalist paradox recently; the reality of having to burn ourselves out until we’re barely living just to stay alive.
That being said, I miss writing. I miss liking writing. I will always love it because of the way words create worlds, but mine haven’t flowed that way for a while. But I’m working on it and this newsletter is my way of trying to re-become a writer who can write.
When the Editor-in-Chief, Theophina and I were rethinking how to structure the newsletter she asked, ‘why don’t we write actual letters?’ It feels more organic this way, and it lets you in on how we’re doing and not just what we’re doing at Onyx.
And just like that, I’m writing again. Thank you for the grace you extended when I (we) couldn’t, and for your attention while I figure out how to word my, and our collective new worlds again.
Yours,
Yasmina Nuny Silva
Deputy Editor ‘22
My Blog Picks:
If you feel like doing a bit more reading, here are my three recommendations for you from our blog: Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’ was re-published, and our EiC Theophina Gabriel reviews what impact the short story has for us today.
Our Art & Fashion editor Tamera Ama sat down with the founder of Sydney-Davies, Euphemia, where they conversed about the designer Euphemia’s decision to step away from fashion completely in 2019, and how pausing her craft instead of pushing through allowed her the breathing space to discover a wonderful new collection.
Finally, with love month just gone (except it’s not because we are dedicated to loving radically every day), contributor Saint-Saëns Ashley writes about their relationship to Valentine’s Day as an aromantic anarcho-communist.