I’ve never understood the “I can’t relate to BIPOC stories”. You can relate to a 500 year old fae with wings, a girl riding a dragon, assassin’s and people with magical abilities, but black characters are where you draw the line? How embarrassing.
Not to mention one of the benefits of literature is it teaches you to be more empathetic, but you have to work for it. Cuz you can actively avoid anything that would remotely challenge you as a reader, but if you step outside of your comfort zone you can learn so much and if i try hard enough i can relate to almost anyone in a story on some level, no matter how miniscule. Just sounds boring af if i only read stories i related to. Like i want to read stories about people who arent like me or anyone i know, who live places ive never lived. Dont get me wrong i love when i feel seen by a book and identify with a character, but i prefer reading overall to make my scope and world wider, not smaller.
right! as an asexual I dont relate to most books with romance in it, but I can still enjoy the story! you really dont have to relate personally with a character to read about them and still have a good time.
Books that offer different perspectives and circumstances than our own are THE BEST tools to help confront ourselves on our prejudice, our truisms and on what we consider common sense. Books that take you out of your comfort zone literally help you grow and expand your horizons. This is how we update our ethics and our knowledge base and enlarge the breadth of our empathy. This is what education and educating ourselves is all about
People who scream they can't read diversely because they can't relate to the characters - I bet you all cried when Mufasa died. Let me remind you, he's a fucking ANIMAL
Imma be real with you, I don't mind reading stuff from authors of color and all but.. I dont think a cartoon ever made me cry for the right reasons, that includes both lion king movies 🧍♂️
Also ‘not being able to relate’-minorities have been accepting and relating to cishet white male characters for like Forever and the moment there’s some diversity people r throwing fits 😂😂
'She is that one black token friend that gets killed off at the beginning of the book.' That had me snickering. If you never say anything else in your life true, that will have been enough. Big facts!
the argument that you cant relate to the character is so wild like ok are you just admitting that you have no empathy?? or that you don't see people who are different than you as people???? what the fuck
Its weird that people only want to see themselves in books too instead of enjoying stories like damn go buy a mirror if you want to always be looking at yourself, its so egotistical, and it mainly comes from white usamericans too, suddenly relating to characters is soo important to them lol
okay I heard about the hockey sexual harassment thing... and Kierra Lewis's videos pop up on my IG occasionally but I don't really know much about her... I had NO IDEA that was the same person! I guess I thought the hockey thing was so cringey that whoever did that wasn't popular online anymore or at least had some social consequences for that absolute creepiness 😭
As a white (predominantly horror but this goes for all genres readers) I’d like to point out to other white readers that if you’re not reading books from BIPOC authors you’re missing out on so much talent. Personally, I especially enjoy reading anything that includes a BIPOC author’s cultural horrors because they’re so important to each author and community. Not to mention, they’re creepy as. I want to experience and explore as many different types of horror as possible, through as many different lenses of society. I can’t wait to see what new horrors and adventures await me in the future. I feel like I’m trying although, I can definitely do better. Sorry, I hope this makes sense. I’m half asleep.
Definitely! And on the subject of horror specifically, I highly recommend Tananarive Due's 'Ghost Summer: Stories', which is a collection of short stories. Some of the very best horror I've read.
Fr! I mostly read fantasy, but fantasy from poc tend to amazing because it explores other cultures I’m not as familiar with, in such a fun and creative way!
@@TesseractHeartMisc "Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories" is a FANTASTIC and bone-chilling collection of short stories written by Indigenous authors. It will keep you up at night!
I noticed that our local book club has been reading predominately white authors lately so I suggested for May we intentionally choose a book by a BIPOC author. And someone said, "I don't pay attention to the race of any authors." Well, you should! Ma'am, you're a teacher. You need to be a little more aware than that. ~_~ But she doubled-down and said, "How about a character of color?" and suggested a green monsters romance book. I was just floored.
So you're telling me that you can relate to shifters, wizards, people who lived hundreds years ago (or in the future), but you can't relate to BIPOC stories? Sounds legit. /not
Okay so the whole "burden of votes" thing grinds my gears every time someone brings it up. People complained because NO ONE VOTED FOR HER BRO, why is it the voter's problem when she was nominated despite the fact that no one likes her?
I learned so much from your video. Thank you so much for this info! This is why the mainstream needs to keep their fingers on the pulse of the people; that's where the TRUTH always dwells, and how embarrassing nominations like this one can be avoided. Great channel.
I saw this girls Harry Potter videos on reels and thought it was kinda weird someone was choosing NOW to read those books after everything jk terfing has said and the public dissection of how problematic her work actually is… but I did NOT realize she was the hockey scandal woman.
I don't understand, did AAMBC forget what they stand for? With all the very dedicated African Americans that have brought my attention to certain books that Goodreads fail to do.
I agree with everything just about, though there is one thing you said that I take great issue with. Peas are still as gross as an adult, as they were when I was a child. I am anti-peas. No peas please.
"Your bias is showing." Best quote of the video! This is the first video I've seen of yours, and immediately subbed! Mychal Threets is a g.d. national treasure!
31:01 they always pull the jealously I'm late to this video but had seen the newer one the other day 😂😂 I honestly try to read diverse while catching up with classics and popular series. Reading books isnt always about identifying? You also want to see different experiences or just escape 😊😊
I love your food analogy to diversity. I read a statement that said all things are fine and equal until the power balance is no longer in white hands .
She has started blocking people who disagree with her as well. She recently posted a reel about there being a Verity movie based on the book by Colleen Hoover. And anyone in the comments who admitted to not liking Hoover had their comment deleted after she bullied them in a response, and then had their accounts blocked
The "can't relate" excuse never made sense. You can relate to fae, mythical creatures, witches, vampires and all the rest? But BIPOC, you just can't connect to? Make it make sense. Yes, you might have to look into things, learn proniciation, but that is the same with alot of fantasy, historical books and others things in life. They have to ask themselves why they won't make any effort yet have no problem getting into the intricacy of a magic system and fanatastical world.
Companies and people have to realize they have a digital footprint. Pretending something didn’t happen when they posted it online for all to see and screenshot honey, it’s already too late (and thank goodness for that)
You got me 😮 I’ve been watching you for a while now. I love your content but just realized I was not subscribed. You have made me read some books that I would not have without you. Now subscribed!
I am the whitest of whites (in terms of skin tone, not views) and I just got back into reading again (and romance books for the first time) and half of the 8 books I’ve read have been written by POC and I can still adore every single one and connect to the characters in some sense.
My take on Ms. Lewis is this: like other anti-Black pandering folks, she's got a shelf life. In short, the moment she's no longer useful or steps out of line, that follower count will disappear and she'll want to come home. It always happens. And frankly, given her history, would you WANT her reading diverse books? Especially when she cares more about clicks than content.
The attention that Kierra gets online isn't the kind that anyone should want and after her last debacle I thought for sure she'd go away, unfortunately the most embarrassing people tend to be the most successful. Her content is so cringe that honestly I feel sorry for her because she's popular for all the wrong reasons, and her name will keep coming up because she doesn't get it.
Yeah, I’d be interested to hear how they chose nominees. They understood the assignment. Everyone in that room knew how important this would be so why just throw someone in there who does not fit the bill? Interesting and upsetting.
people say they can’t relate to BIPOC stories, yet they can relate to people with fairy wings or elves who are thousands of years old, or random young men from the early 1900s in Russia???
I agreed with everything except when you said it's a weak excuse to say you can't relate to a bipoc character. I say this because there were many black people said that said Disney movies being race swapped was justified because they couldn't relate to the characters since they were white. If it's a weak excuse for white people to use than it's a weak excuse for poc to use.
No, the excuse is definitely weak, especially because the argument for the Little Mermaid race swap by black people was not that we couldn't relate to a white Ariel. As people who have always seen white actors on screen, or read white characters in books and other media, we have learned to be empathetic and relate to the experiences of people who are not like us, which is even part of the argument for reading diversely. The argument black people made with Ariel is that we were raised not seeing our faces in integral spaces, and it's inspiring and encouraging to see people who look like us in those spaces. It allows children and even adults to be able to see that their race isn't a barrier to being a superhero or, in Ariel's case, a mermaid princess. It allows people to see that being bold and having adventures is not something relegated to 'white people'. So yea, for anyone to say that they can't relate to a character in any form of media or life, because of race alone, is a weak excuse, because it just shows lack of empathy, racism or in black people's case, prejudice.
@shelleys.corner I didn't disagree with you that it's a weak excuse. It definitely is, but you're saying that it wasn't the excuse poc was using for Ariel when, in reality, it was for many. Not all, of course, but many.
@Whoareyoupeople900 your original comment literally said, 'I agreed with everything except when you said it's a weak excuse...' so by that, of course I'm under the impression that you disagreed.
@shelleys.corner My bad, I worded it wrong. When I wrote except I didn't mean I didn't agree with you. I just used it to get to the point I wanted to bring up. (hope I made sense here)
Ugh this was a bad video. I was looking for why Kiara was problematic to diversity and I didn’t hear it. I’m not a fan of Kiara but this video relied more on feelings than facts on kierra. You dragged this girl.
That's your opinion. The description made it clear the discussion was centred on the awards and why she shouldn't receive it. And the point remains that she is problematic
Kierra Lewis striked me as that girl in high school that had to speak louder, laughing louder and making herself the center of everything when I first saw her. Now I know she is, indeed very pickme-ish. And as Latina reader and author, BIPOC stories are amazing! Not reading it is not a preference, its a prejudiced and biased mentality and you we all know it. You are okay with the black best friend, the ansian nerd who helps or the badass latino hunk but THE MOMENT they become protagonists, its too much? 🥱
I’ve never understood the “I can’t relate to BIPOC stories”. You can relate to a 500 year old fae with wings, a girl riding a dragon, assassin’s and people with magical abilities, but black characters are where you draw the line? How embarrassing.
Not to mention one of the benefits of literature is it teaches you to be more empathetic, but you have to work for it. Cuz you can actively avoid anything that would remotely challenge you as a reader, but if you step outside of your comfort zone you can learn so much and if i try hard enough i can relate to almost anyone in a story on some level, no matter how miniscule. Just sounds boring af if i only read stories i related to. Like i want to read stories about people who arent like me or anyone i know, who live places ive never lived. Dont get me wrong i love when i feel seen by a book and identify with a character, but i prefer reading overall to make my scope and world wider, not smaller.
Exactly
right! as an asexual I dont relate to most books with romance in it, but I can still enjoy the story! you really dont have to relate personally with a character to read about them and still have a good time.
Yes! Exactly. 🙌🏻
Books that offer different perspectives and circumstances than our own are THE BEST tools to help confront ourselves on our prejudice, our truisms and on what we consider common sense. Books that take you out of your comfort zone literally help you grow and expand your horizons. This is how we update our ethics and our knowledge base and enlarge the breadth of our empathy. This is what education and educating ourselves is all about
People who scream they can't read diversely because they can't relate to the characters - I bet you all cried when Mufasa died. Let me remind you, he's a fucking ANIMAL
Ironically enough, who is voiced by a black man lol
Imma be real with you, I don't mind reading stuff from authors of color and all but..
I dont think a cartoon ever made me cry for the right reasons, that includes both lion king movies 🧍♂️
Also ‘not being able to relate’-minorities have been accepting and relating to cishet white male characters for like Forever and the moment there’s some diversity people r throwing fits 😂😂
Activism is active, not passive. Shame on them.
Didn't that Kraken hockey scandal happen last April? Should we expect yearly drama from Kierra here on out? lol
Honestly, she's 2 for 2 at this point 🫠🤣
people saying they can't find diverse books aren't looking for diverse books and i'll never follow them or let them influence my reads.
🤌🏾
'She is that one black token friend that gets killed off at the beginning of the book.' That had me snickering. If you never say anything else in your life true, that will have been enough. Big facts!
🤣🤣 I was trying my best to be nice but I just had to say it 😭
the argument that you cant relate to the character is so wild like ok are you just admitting that you have no empathy?? or that you don't see people who are different than you as people???? what the fuck
Its weird that people only want to see themselves in books too instead of enjoying stories like damn go buy a mirror if you want to always be looking at yourself, its so egotistical, and it mainly comes from white usamericans too, suddenly relating to characters is soo important to them lol
okay I heard about the hockey sexual harassment thing... and Kierra Lewis's videos pop up on my IG occasionally but I don't really know much about her... I had NO IDEA that was the same person! I guess I thought the hockey thing was so cringey that whoever did that wasn't popular online anymore or at least had some social consequences for that absolute creepiness 😭
As a white (predominantly horror but this goes for all genres readers) I’d like to point out to other white readers that if you’re not reading books from BIPOC authors you’re missing out on so much talent.
Personally, I especially enjoy reading anything that includes a BIPOC author’s cultural horrors because they’re so important to each author and community. Not to mention, they’re creepy as.
I want to experience and explore as many different types of horror as possible, through as many different lenses of society. I can’t wait to see what new horrors and adventures await me in the future.
I feel like I’m trying although, I can definitely do better.
Sorry, I hope this makes sense. I’m half asleep.
Definitely! And on the subject of horror specifically, I highly recommend Tananarive Due's 'Ghost Summer: Stories', which is a collection of short stories. Some of the very best horror I've read.
You will My sister, the serial killer. It's a thriller written by a Nigerian-British.
if you have time, please give some recs!!
Fr! I mostly read fantasy, but fantasy from poc tend to amazing because it explores other cultures I’m not as familiar with, in such a fun and creative way!
@@TesseractHeartMisc "Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories" is a FANTASTIC and bone-chilling collection of short stories written by Indigenous authors. It will keep you up at night!
The fact that in her nomination pic she’s holding the HP books… yet they still went ahead and nominated her. 😕
I noticed that our local book club has been reading predominately white authors lately so I suggested for May we intentionally choose a book by a BIPOC author. And someone said, "I don't pay attention to the race of any authors." Well, you should! Ma'am, you're a teacher. You need to be a little more aware than that. ~_~ But she doubled-down and said, "How about a character of color?" and suggested a green monsters romance book. I was just floored.
That green monsters as a recommendation for characters of colour would've sent me over the edge 🙃
@@shelleys.corner Seriously! I am looking into other book clubs now.
Shrek is a POC now 😭
jeez, that sucks
So you're telling me that you can relate to shifters, wizards, people who lived hundreds years ago (or in the future), but you can't relate to BIPOC stories? Sounds legit. /not
Okay so the whole "burden of votes" thing grinds my gears every time someone brings it up. People complained because NO ONE VOTED FOR HER BRO, why is it the voter's problem when she was nominated despite the fact that no one likes her?
I learned so much from your video. Thank you so much for this info! This is why the mainstream needs to keep their fingers on the pulse of the people; that's where the TRUTH always dwells, and how embarrassing nominations like this one can be avoided. Great channel.
I saw this girls Harry Potter videos on reels and thought it was kinda weird someone was choosing NOW to read those books after everything jk terfing has said and the public dissection of how problematic her work actually is… but I did NOT realize she was the hockey scandal woman.
The AAMBC folks have been clout chasers. They also run Lit Diaries which has had drama in the past with their bookstore and events.
Shelley is doing the Lord's work! lol I saw this pop off on IG and was so disappointed in these awards.
I thought I recognized her name...I can't believe this...wow.
I don't understand, did AAMBC forget what they stand for? With all the very dedicated African Americans that have brought my attention to certain books that Goodreads fail to do.
(82) isn’t this the lady who got into drama with a pro NHL player and his wife last August ?
Yea 😭 the team was the Krackens
@@shelleys.corner Damn ☠️
I agree with everything just about, though there is one thing you said that I take great issue with. Peas are still as gross as an adult, as they were when I was a child. I am anti-peas. No peas please.
C'mon give peas a chance
Yeah I'll see myself out
Same I’ve been anti-peas my whole life and will be til the day I die.
The way I didn’t even recognize her name until you brought up the hockey harassment thing 😭 she’s so irrelevant
Sadly she keeps coming up 😭
"Your bias is showing." Best quote of the video! This is the first video I've seen of yours, and immediately subbed! Mychal Threets is a g.d. national treasure!
I really appreciate your commentary!
31:01 they always pull the jealously
I'm late to this video but had seen the newer one the other day 😂😂
I honestly try to read diverse while catching up with classics and popular series. Reading books isnt always about identifying? You also want to see different experiences or just escape 😊😊
Jealousy is do quick to leave their mouths fr 😭 no critical thinking whatsoever
And honestly! Something different now and then is needed 😌
I love your food analogy to diversity. I read a statement that said all things are fine and equal until the power balance is no longer in white hands .
New viewer, instantly obsessed with you and your channel! Thank you for breaking this one down!
She has started blocking people who disagree with her as well. She recently posted a reel about there being a Verity movie based on the book by Colleen Hoover. And anyone in the comments who admitted to not liking Hoover had their comment deleted after she bullied them in a response, and then had their accounts blocked
Oh she's BEEN doing that. She's blocked most booktokers who share diverse books lol. Most wear it as a badge of honour 🤣
@@shelleys.cornerOmg I had no idea LOL! That's hilarious😆
This what is the book in the background with the black woman holding a sword it looms interesting
It’s “Bloodmarked.” It’s the second book in an ongoing series-“The Legendborn Cycle.” The first book is “Legendborn.” They are my favorite books.
In case you’re talking about the book underneath Legendborn, it’s Forged by Blood, by Ehigbor Okosun
@@TheRonnieaj idk that one. Is it good?
Your voice is so soothing , I could listen to you talk for hours
See I care that she pops up in my space. I just don't want to associate. I'd rather do anything else than contributing to her bag.
I’m thoroughly convinced people that work for award stuff avoid doing research. Like forreal half of this mess could be avoided.
The "can't relate" excuse never made sense. You can relate to fae, mythical creatures, witches, vampires and all the rest? But BIPOC, you just can't connect to? Make it make sense. Yes, you might have to look into things, learn proniciation, but that is the same with alot of fantasy, historical books and others things in life.
They have to ask themselves why they won't make any effort yet have no problem getting into the intricacy of a magic system and fanatastical world.
Companies and people have to realize they have a digital footprint. Pretending something didn’t happen when they posted it online for all to see and screenshot honey, it’s already too late (and thank goodness for that)
You got me 😮 I’ve been watching you for a while now. I love your content but just realized I was not subscribed. You have made me read some books that I would not have without you. Now subscribed!
I am the whitest of whites (in terms of skin tone, not views) and I just got back into reading again (and romance books for the first time) and half of the 8 books I’ve read have been written by POC and I can still adore every single one and connect to the characters in some sense.
My take on Ms. Lewis is this: like other anti-Black pandering folks, she's got a shelf life. In short, the moment she's no longer useful or steps out of line, that follower count will disappear and she'll want to come home. It always happens. And frankly, given her history, would you WANT her reading diverse books? Especially when she cares more about clicks than content.
Thank you
What is the publishing controversy you were referencing in the video?
The attention that Kierra gets online isn't the kind that anyone should want and after her last debacle I thought for sure she'd go away, unfortunately the most embarrassing people tend to be the most successful. Her content is so cringe that honestly I feel sorry for her because she's popular for all the wrong reasons, and her name will keep coming up because she doesn't get it.
Yeah, I’d be interested to hear how they chose nominees. They understood the assignment. Everyone in that room knew how important this would be so why just throw someone in there who does not fit the bill? Interesting and upsetting.
people say they can’t relate to BIPOC stories, yet they can relate to people with fairy wings or elves who are thousands of years old, or random young men from the early 1900s in Russia???
First time here. Don't know what to comment, so I just will say you're pretty 🤗❤
Thank you 🥹🥹❤️
Isn’t she actively reading Harry Potter?
I believe so
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
❤️❤️❤️
I agreed with everything except when you said it's a weak excuse to say you can't relate to a bipoc character. I say this because there were many black people said that said Disney movies being race swapped was justified because they couldn't relate to the characters since they were white. If it's a weak excuse for white people to use than it's a weak excuse for poc to use.
No, the excuse is definitely weak, especially because the argument for the Little Mermaid race swap by black people was not that we couldn't relate to a white Ariel. As people who have always seen white actors on screen, or read white characters in books and other media, we have learned to be empathetic and relate to the experiences of people who are not like us, which is even part of the argument for reading diversely.
The argument black people made with Ariel is that we were raised not seeing our faces in integral spaces, and it's inspiring and encouraging to see people who look like us in those spaces. It allows children and even adults to be able to see that their race isn't a barrier to being a superhero or, in Ariel's case, a mermaid princess. It allows people to see that being bold and having adventures is not something relegated to 'white people'.
So yea, for anyone to say that they can't relate to a character in any form of media or life, because of race alone, is a weak excuse, because it just shows lack of empathy, racism or in black people's case, prejudice.
@shelleys.corner I didn't disagree with you that it's a weak excuse. It definitely is, but you're saying that it wasn't the excuse poc was using for Ariel when, in reality, it was for many. Not all, of course, but many.
@Whoareyoupeople900 your original comment literally said, 'I agreed with everything except when you said it's a weak excuse...' so by that, of course I'm under the impression that you disagreed.
@shelleys.corner My bad, I worded it wrong. When I wrote except I didn't mean I didn't agree with you. I just used it to get to the point I wanted to bring up. (hope I made sense here)
Ugh this was a bad video. I was looking for why Kiara was problematic to diversity and I didn’t hear it. I’m not a fan of Kiara but this video relied more on feelings than facts on kierra. You dragged this girl.
That's your opinion. The description made it clear the discussion was centred on the awards and why she shouldn't receive it. And the point remains that she is problematic
Kierra Lewis striked me as that girl in high school that had to speak louder, laughing louder and making herself the center of everything when I first saw her. Now I know she is, indeed very pickme-ish. And as Latina reader and author, BIPOC stories are amazing! Not reading it is not a preference, its a prejudiced and biased mentality and you we all know it. You are okay with the black best friend, the ansian nerd who helps or the badass latino hunk but THE MOMENT they become protagonists, its too much? 🥱