Freely offered, but chipping in matters—especially for writers of color

I have noticed a strange phenomenon as an online writer since the election. My readership across all platforms that aren’t behind a paywall has shot up like gangbusters. As a writer, that warms my heart, I want to be read; I love that people are reading and sharing my work. I have been writing since 2002 and knowing that my work continues to be discovered matters a great deal. Thank you for rocking with me! 

At the same time, as I have seen engagement and readership shoot up, what I haven’t seen shoot up are tips in the tip jar, or people signing up for my Patreon or Substack. In fact, Substack is the most egregious example. In the last two weeks almost 400 people signed up to subscribe for my work, but only one person decided to become a paid subscriber. 

One person. Only one person thought that I was worth making a commitment to. Not even four people which would have been 1% of new readers. Think about that. 

The thing is, as the media world shifts and more established social media personalities and writers who used to command large figures find the market shifting, Substack has become the place for folks to try to earn a living along with Patreon. It means more people competing for your dollars and, frankly, it is a weird and rather unequitable system as fellow Black writer and activist Aja Barber has taken to discussing. 

What was once a way for marginalized folks to build their audience and earn a living or at least part of a living has been taken over by the well-heeled, and guess who loses? Marginalized folks, and Black and brown women. 

While not everyone has the means to pay, the fact remains that too many do have the ability and instead choose to consume the work of the marginalized—thinking that sharing and liking our work is payment for our efforts. And too often, they will sign up for the white writers and the well-heeled who are often disconnected from activism and organizing spaces. 

I occupy a different space. While I am a writer, I am also the director of an anti-racism organization. I am not simply spit-balling when I write. I bring my lens as a Black woman involved in the work directly. It’s why I was one of the first to write that the potentially catastrophic bill HR 9495 was not dead, and still I received pushback and a few people asking if I was correct in my information because their Google search didn’t turn up what I was sharing. 

It didn’t show up because that’s how fast the world is moving now and because of my position, I am plugged in beyond the world of mere content creation. I don’t have to wait until others write about these things and then offer my two cents. I am hard at work trying to figure out how we will keep doing the work if things go south. I’m still a little miffed about being questioned but that’s a piece for another time. 

As we move forward, accessing information and analysis is going to get harder. We already see mainstream media starting to capitulate to the incoming administration. Folks like me don’t have that option; I am here until the jack-booted thugs show up at my door and take me off to the dissident camp—a concept that no longer sounds like hyberbole but like a real possibility. 

At this point, we need to move forward with the burning desire to support and be in community with those who are closer to the front lines and who are guiding and informing us. In other words, we need to move forward with a spirit of community and how we can support the most impacted. 

I would love it if all 400 of those new subscribers were paying subscribers but that’s not realistic. Certainly, though, at least 4 people could subscribe. If you really want to go deeper in for your information and learning, that’s where Patreon fits in. There are offerings including my Beloved Community group that are only available to Patreon folks or monthly PayPal folks. 

Admittedly, this is a little ranty but since waking up this morning, over 25 notifications have popped up for new subscribers and seeing not one paying subscriber definitely didn’t land well. I just had to let it out.