On Wednesday, Feb. 28, Moorpark College students and faculty closed out Black History Month 2024 with a live reading showcase from faculty member Tamarra Coleman titled “The Power of Our Stories: Activism, Resistance and Healing.”
Coleman is a Moorpark College English professor and an independent self-published author. Coleman was also recently appointed as the assistant dean of diversity equality and inclusion at Moorpark College.
Coleman began her presentation by reading passages from her newly released piece of creative nonfiction called “The Constant Sweetness Within.” The book is a collection of multi-layered personal essays in the style of poems. Each poem’s title is typically a sentence long but provokes a broader meaning and connection to listeners.
Before reading, Coleman offered a brief explanation of what her book means to her to the AA Forum audience.
“I draw conclusions and develop analysis based on my experiences in the world, as a black woman, a mother, a wife and a feminist,” Coleman said. “This is about my experiences. This is not a self-help book. I’m not trying to tell people what they should think or how they should think about marriage or motherhood. I’m simply sharing my truth, and in that, some of the stories might be triggering for things that you may have experienced in your own.’’
Before sharing an excerpt, Coleman would display the poem’s title for the audience to formulate an idea about the piece’s overall theme. After reading the poem, she would branch out to the audience and ask them how they interpreted the title or if they could relate the title and poem to their lives.
These pauses for understanding in between reading allowed Coleman to truly captivate her audience by instilling self-reflection techniques to find a deeper connection. Coleman’s direction created a place where students felt seen and safe to speak about their thoughts and personal stories.
“I just want to encourage you in your discomfort and to sit with that, lead into that, and know that my intention is to share my stories, and hopefully that you know that you are not alone in your journey,” Coleman said.
The first poem Coleman recited was “ I AM a Black Woman.” The poem talks about the condescending compliments Coleman has received throughout her life.
“You are pretty for a Black woman. You’re so articulate. You have good hair. You sound white. Are you mixed? I am a Black woman,” Coleman read.
Further into the poem, Coleman discusses how she is unapologetically Black and that she is all of these condescending compliments minus the “for a” statements.
“I’m so Black. Like the color on the color wheel. I consist of all colors. All themes and all possibilities. I am articulate because I can talk life. And I am fluent in Black English vernacular. I am pretty for a Black woman and any other woman,” recited Coleman.
When asking the audience for their thoughts on this story, all students were able to tie the poem’s story to their own lives. Students relayed Coleman’s ideas, saying that they have been told, “You’re good at sports for a girl” or “ You’re pretty for a black girl.”
Another poem that Coleman recited was called “Group Hair,” which delves into the relationship between her and her hair. Coleman further stated that it is one of her favorite poems she has ever written.
“Historically, natural hair signified rebellion against the mainstream notion of beauty and rebellion against our mom, because many of us have heard, ‘You aren’t going out there with that nappy hair.”
This poem is truly universal, as many have felt the pressure to have their hair a certain way due to what their peers think, or societal beauty standards. Black individuals in particular have also been discriminated against due to natural hair being labeled as “unprofessional.”
In the discussion following the reading, students shared similar experiences in which they felt the need to change their hair to blend in with society, including dyeing their hair to cover grey strands, adjusting the color of their hair, or retaining a more “masculine” haircut.
After reciting a few more poems from her book, Coleman ended her presentation by sharing the main reason behind releasing her work.
“The idea of simply telling my stories evokes the desire and creates a space for people to tell their stories is the reason why I published the book,” Coleman said.
Jordan Brown, a second-year gender studies major at Moorpark College, attended Coleman’s live reading with her class and expressed appreciation for the opportunity.
“I’m so happy I went,” Brown said. “I think one of my friends would really like this book. I’d read it. And pass it to her. I’d recommend it to anyone. It sounds great from the pieces we got to hear.”
Brown also commented on her two favorite poems she heard at the presentation, “I AM a Black Woman” and “Group Hair.”
“The first one was really powerful. It just felt really strong. I like the one about hair, too,” Brown said.
To learn more about Tamarra Coleman and purchase her book, “The Constant Sweetness Within,” click here to check out her website.
