Right now, I’m sending a strong, disapproving vibe to the barista who prepared a fully caffeinated drink that was supposed to be decaf. Sure, on the one hand, I’m logging in some extra words, but for anyone who has a toddler, the most treasured moments are when Mom, Dad & the Little One all get some much-needed shut-eye. one caffeinated drink can keep me jittery forever.
While working on a chapter, I was looking for a specific quote and I came across another one that resonated with me:
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, youhave chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.â€
– Desmond Tutu
This gives me the opportunity to briefly mention my stance on what is happening in the professional realm of Romance, namely within the imploding extremely distressed Romance Writers of America (RWA). If you’ve ever read my bio, you’ll already know my stance, but for the ever-eternal social media record, please indulge me as I share these few words.
I’m not in the right headspace to delve into the neverending horror stories that are being revealed concerning the organization. News outlets from The Guardian to the New York Times have been covering aspects of the mess, although Twitter seems to be providing more details, theories, and opinions concerning the most current developments.
This year would have been my first experience judging the RITA’s, and until recent events, I considered it a great honor to have been a part of the process. However, watching the “training” webinar felt like a trainwreck of hypocrisy, especially in light of recent events.
I had also been excited about attending my first conference in San Francisco this year. Being able to combine work with visiting family and friends in my old stomping ground was going to be a dream. But no more.
Let me be clear: An organization that actively supports disenfranchising people who are already marginalized is not one that I want to be associated with.
Furthermore, I will not spend another dime to support an organization that is fighting to its death to actively discriminate against people like me –  and against people who aren’t exactly like me.
I haven’t demanded a refund for paid dues, and therefore technically remain a member until the end of November this year. If there is any way that I can support an organization that actually promotes love and romance, I’m ready to do my part. (Honestly folks, it shouldn’t be that hard.)
In the meantime, I’m focusing my energies finishing my next book. I’ll also make time to be more active in my memberships in other, more supportive writing organizations. I’m crossing my fingers that they will let me simply focus on doing what I truly want to do – uplift folks, improve my craft, and share my stories with wonderful people like you.
Sending Love & Light,
Atina
©Atina Atwood 2020 Exploring Love and Life, One Word At A Time.™
– Atina Atwood is the author of the Holiday Heartbeats series and a southern girl who moved from Europe to the West Coast. A former university professor in Germany and California, Atina stepped away from Academia to focus on her miracle child, life, love, food, quilting, and of course, writing. Follow her on Twitter and Pinterest for more, and sign up for Atina’s newsletter here.
