The Chemical Engineer just joined #BeTheMatch ‘s registry. Joining the Be The Match Registry® means volunteering to be listed as a potential blood stem cell donor, ready to save the life of any patient in need of a transplant. He’s about to put his swabbing kit back into the mail. That picture of him in the collage on the right is him smiling while swabbing his chick.We were inspired by Juwan (https://www.ourraceagainsttime.org/story-juwan/).
Juwan is a teenager who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma a year before me. His mom is a member of two online groups I’m also a member of and she shared his experience, his strength and the way he helped other kids throughout his own treatment. Juwan had an autologous stem cell transplant that unfortunately failed and he’s looking for a donor to do another transplant. Juwan is also helping getting more people to Be The Match. Can you “Be The Match?”
Thanks to his efforts 10 000 people registered to the registry. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 44 can help by texting savejuwan to 61474 or registering online at http://join.bethematch.org/Juwan
Have you registered?
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I was on Facebook yesterday and I saw people talking about George Floyd’s death and while acknowledging the officers needed to be arrested, dismissing the idea of systemic racism.
And I’m baffled.
I’m baffled because saying one needs to look at the issue of systemic racism, including in the police force, doesn’t (a) say everyone is knowingly racist, (b) includes the idea of internalized bias, (c) doesn’t take away from the courage of police officers who put their lives at risk or the sacrifice their families makes.
It doesn’t.
Currently reading.
And some of you might be rolling your eyes reading this (if you still are). Others might be saying, “What does she know? She’s a liberal bleeding heart. Such a snowflake.” And you might be getting angry. Frustrated. Just the picture of the book I’m reading may have annoyed you.
“Blue Lives Matter”, you might reply. Or post a meme or two. And I could reply that you’re not blue. But that would probably stop you from reading. A knee-jerk reaction saying I don’t understand. So instead, I will reply with “Where do you see me saying police lives do not matter? Where did I imply that? Did I not recognize at the beginning of my post the sacrifices and courage it takes to be a police officer?” Because it’s true. It takes courage and sacrifice.
And I also agree there needs to be more training. There needs to be more support and more staffing. And there needs to be a discussion on why those other police officers stood by without intervening.
One does not negate the other.
He died.
“All Lives Matter”, you might answer. So why do you have a problem with “Black Lives Matter”? How is it that a 30-year old White man will be called a boy? And a twelve-year old Black boy will be said to look older than his age? It’s pernicious. It’s there. In the words. In the attitude.
Reports have shown that there is racial bias in the healthcare system.
The same goes in the justice system. “Reports” You may cough dismissingly.
Here’s what the report on Baltimore policing mentioned for example: “Black pedestrians were 37 percent more likely to be searched by Baltimore police citywide and 23 percent more likely to be searched during vehicle stops. But officers found contraband twice as often when searching white residents during vehicle stops and 50 percent more often during pedestrian stops, the report notes.” (Source: The Baltimore Sun).
In both healthcare and the justice system and in our everyday life, this type of behavior is fueled by internalized bias. Internalized racism. Some of you might stop reading here. Because what? Of course not. *I* am not racist. This is so outrageous and wrong and offensive. But I’m not talking about a conscious choice of being racist.
Of course most of us would stand up against explicit bias. I want to believe most of the people reading this wouldn’t go to Charlottesville with tikki torches, screaming “Jews will not replace us.” And most of the people reading this would be outraged about people calling Michelle Obama a “Monkey Face” or an “Ape in heels”, or about the shooting in a Black church in Charlerston. Because this is outward racism. Because this is tragic.
But then there’s internal bias. The one we don’t notice. The one I know I have. Am I so different from you? I recognize I can have internal bias. But you…you reading this getting mad and frustrated or simply laughing because “This is bullshit”.
Because why? You never made any disparaging comments? You never used the n-word. I never did either. But the bias is still there.
And I’m aware of it. And I’m consciously fighting it.
It’s also really ingrained in the smallest things. Like as pointed out in this Twitter thread:
I was talking to a couple white friends about the tiny ways white supremacy snakes its way into normalcy and I realized how invisible some of it has become to nonblack people. Tiny ways we're dehumanized daily. So I wanted to do a quick thread about a few examples.
One example she mentions in case you didn’t click on the link is going to ballet class and being asked to wear “flesh tone” tights:
I was six and in ballet when I first heard this term. I had to buy flesh tone tights as part of the supplies to take a dance class. Flesh tone tights are not the color of my flesh. This assumption of white as the default is white supremacy.
"Flesh tone" tights.
I was six and in ballet when I first heard this term. I had to buy flesh tone tights as part of the supplies to take a dance class. Flesh tone tights are not the color of my flesh. This assumption of white as the default is white supremacy.
Small things. But those small things add up. Especially when they start in childhood. Because what this doesn’t mention is on the other side you had a white child who didn’t ask himself or herself about buying the tights. His or her mother didn’t blink at the mention of flesh tone tights.
Everyone is the same. Equal rights. Equal opportunities.
But is it? Really?
The outrage at the word racism, because “Of course, I’m not.” Because we are not knowingly engaging in racism. Not going out with signs. Not burning crosses on front lawns.
And yet not recognizing the insidious way it is in society. Not recognizing privilege. Not recognizing the centuries of suffering.
“But it was such a long time ago. They should just get over it.”
Was it that long ago?
Was your grandfather or great grand-father going to the same schools as the grandfather of Black Americans of the same age? Your. Grandfather. This wasn’t that long ago. And the ramifications of centuries of oppression doesn’t disappear in the blink of an eye.
Oh and how about?
“But I struggle too. And I’m from the same neighborhood. I got out.”
No one has said your success isn’t valid. Your success is valid. It doesn’t stop your success, it simply means the color of your skin didn’t further hinder you. It didn’t add an additional hurdle.
“I don’t see color.” In the “White Fragility, Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism” book I’m currently reading, there’s a line that stayed with me. “If you don’t see color, how can you see racism?” There are a lot of examples in that book. And it is definitely thought-provoking.
“Why should I feel bad about being White?” No one is asking you to feel bad about being White. I think it’s missing the point if your argument is you don’t want to feel guilty for something you didn’t choose. No one is asking for you to beat yourself up because you’re white. Recognizing a sort of privilege that comes with being white simply means (to me at least) that you now can actively find ways to fight the unconscious racial bias that is part of society. Be the kind of person who’s part of the solution. Actively part of the solution. Instead of washing your hands from the problem, “because you’re not racist.” Again, you don’t have to go around with tikki torches to benefit from a system that was put in place before you were born.
“Hinder me? In this country, we can be who we want to be.” Sure. But can you recognize it is harder for POCs? There are countless studies that prove it is harder. I know it’s not easy to accept. Again, it doesn’t diminish your own personal success.
“You’re just being a snowflake.” But who’s refusing to take a closer look at oneself?
“My Black friend said it wasn’t a racist problem.” Did you have the discussion? Did you look at the bigger picture? Or have you decided since one of your Black friends is saying there’s no problem, then *sigh of relief* you’ve been in the right all along.
“The media is responsible. They’re throwing flames to the fire.” Like the Black reporter who got arrested on live TV this morning? Or because they are reporting the words of the President? Or because they are sensationalizing the news? Yes, sometimes there can be theatrics in news. But it doesn’t take away from what happened and has been happening.
“But they’re looting, destroying their own community. How is that helping?” Someone on Twitter pointed out at Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest which also wasn’t accepted because some had decided it was disrespectful. And you might get triggered and get hung up on how, yes, it is disrespectful in your eyes. And if I start talking about the protests at the capitols with people carrying their guns and verbally threatening lawmakers, you’ll again tell me how this is a free country and they’re not breaking and looting anything. I’m not condoning looting. I’m not condoning the destruction of property. Just like I don’t condone looting or the destruction of property when the University of Maryland wins against Duke. And yet, the outrage seems less.
Jason Reynolds (the New York Times best-selling author of All American Boys, the Track series, Long Way Down, For Everyone, and Miles Morales-Spiderman.) tweeted the following:
I really, really don’t care what you think. I went to a PWI. I watched white students at the University of Maryland set fire and go on a rampage every time they beat Duke in BASKETBALL. No pain. No anger. And they were NEVER called thugs. EVER.
— Jason Reynolds News (@JasonReynolds83) May 29, 2020
And my comments are ablaze with “but they ARE thugs because they’re looting, and hurting innocent people.” And yet NO ONE is acknowledging the why. Because…you don’t have to. And don’t get me started on talk of innocent people.
— Jason Reynolds News (@JasonReynolds83) May 29, 2020
(added the following in blue on May 30th) There’s also more and more talks about how some people burning and rioting are (1) not from the area of protestors and (2) could be from organized groups such as white supremacy groups.
And if you’re now saying, “But I acknowledge this was wrong. What happened was wrong. But…This is not an appropriate type of reaction.”
Have you stopped to think about the pain and anger that’s triggering this reaction?
Some violence might also be instigated by outside groups.
Not condoning the looting and destruction shouldn’t prevent from understanding the why. Or trying to understand the why.
And an author I admire (Nic Stone, love her books) shared this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. Did you know this quote? I didn’t:
“…I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality, and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation’s summers of riots are caused by our nation’s winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention.” (“The Other America” speech at Stanford University)
“Well, they’re being racist too. So much anti-whiteness going on these days.” I’ve only seen a couple of acquaintances posting memes like these on my Facebook wall. And we could have an entire discussion on why this discussion point is to put it mildly extremely problematic. Maybe you can start by reading this: http://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/…/myth-anti-whiteness-…/
“You don’t understand. You’re French anyways.”
True. I am. And racism is a problem in France too. I’m not denying that. The history of colonialism isn’t something that, in my view, has been entirely dealt with. There’s definitely internalized racism in France too. When you apply to a job with a certain name, your chance of getting that job are lower. I’m fully aware of this.
However, being French doesn’t prevent me from reading and informing myself and recognizing what is happening around me.
Being French doesn’t prevent me from feeling like I’m part of the United States too, loving this country and understanding it is not perfect. I’ve been living in the United States for about eleven years. This is a home to me too.
I want to believe we want to do better. To be better. I want to believe that the majority of us want to strive to be better. To help.
So if you’ve read this entire post, I might not have convinced you. You might still be coming up in your mind with counter-arguments for every point I’ve just made. Maybe ask yourself why that is.
Because what did I write that may have offended you? What did I write that was not based on facts? What do you have to lose by trying to actively do something against racism? Since we all tend to agree that racism is bad. If we dig deeper and find those bias, if we realize that it is institutionalized, then maybe we can do better. Maybe we can be better.
And in case you want to know more about what we can do, or how to inform ourselves more, here are several links with resources.
And let me know if you’ve read or are reading “White Fragility – why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism.” or any of the many many books highlighted in the resources above.
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Today is the release day of the Italian version of A Summer Like No Other. I am so so excited about it. I even got one of the coveted little best-selling flags for it on Amazon Italy. 🙂
Thank you so much to my translator: Annalisa Lovat and my proofreader Cinzia Novi 🙂 and stay tuned for more information on bilingual editions of A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER in Italian coming soon. And for the Italian version of ALWAYS SECOND BEST.
Two years ago, I organized an auction called “Let’s Do Something Now” to benefit associations helping young adults with cancer. And I thought, while I can’t organize an auction right now, I’d like to do something good 🙂
I have treatment on Monday (maintenance immunotherapy treatment after autologous stem cell transplant in October). And for the first time ever, due to the restrictions at the hospital and cancer center, the Chemical Engineer won’t be able to come with me. Since diagnosis in October 2017, he’s been with me at all my treatments. And I know that makes me lucky. One, that he is such an amazing and supportive husband (yes Alex, you’re the best ;-)), and two, that his bosses and colleagues enabled him to be there. And I know everyone at the cancer center and I know the procedures and how everything works. It’s so much harder for the patients who are just getting diagnosed or who don’t know what is happening with their treatments due to the current situation.
And it reminds me again how nurses, doctors, techs and all hospital workers have been supportive and amazing throughout. And it also reminds that stem cell transplant patients probably can’t have visitors right now and this must be so hard. I know my parents and Alex’s visits helped me tremendously.
So, I was wondering if you’d like to send messages (short messages, encouraging letters, videos) or drawings (by taking a picture of the drawings) to the people working there and/or to the patients in the stem cell unit.
How?
Send the messages or pictures of drawings or videos to my email: authorelodienowodazkij@gmail.com – you can also upload them here (https://forms.gle/rY8XXQtpt9GPzzW16)
Let me know if I can also upload them to my website 🙂
THANK YOU! ❤
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“Die Wendungen in diesem Buch haben mich total überrascht und ich bin begeistert!” Ein spannender Roman für Fans von Sixx-Filmen und Criminal Minds…
Die siebzehnjährige Cheerleaderin Erin Hortz sollte sich eigentlich auf den größten Wettbewerb ihres Lebens vorbereiten, der ihr Ticket aus ihrer kleinen texanischen Stadt sein könnte. Aber da ihr Vater in Verdacht steht, ein Serienmörder zu sein, fällt es ihr schwer, fokussiert zu bleiben. Erst recht, wenn es um den ehemaligen Football-Star Dimitri Kuvlev geht: der Bruder ihrer besten Freundin Nadia, ihr Dauerschwarm, derjenige, der einen Platz in ihrem Herzen hat.
Einst interessierten sich Universitäten aus dem ganzen Land für den 19-jährigen Football-Superstar Dimitri, doch nach einem Unfall weiß er nicht, was er mit seinem Leben anfangen soll. Die einzige Person, die ihn zu verstehen scheint, ist die, mit der er eigentlich nur befreundet sein wollte, zumindest bis er alles in Ordnung gebracht hat: Erin.
Als Nadia nach einer Party nicht nach Hause kommt, wissen Dimitri und Erin, dass sie sie finden müssen, bevor es zu spät ist – auch wenn das bedeutet, ihr eigenes Leben zu riskieren und alles, was Erin lieb ist.
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve just realized that I forgot to update you all here on the results of my TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT campaign.
For all orders of TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT in September, I donated $1 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I raised $90 that way…but this was matched by the wonderful Sam, Katy and Katie, meaning we’ve raised $360 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Again, thank you SO much! ❤
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Have you ever listened to an audiobook? Have you ever thought about recording one?
I personally really enjoy listening to audiobooks. The Chemical Engineer and I always listen to audiobooks when we go on road trips. I also like listening to audiobooks when I do things around the house. I get them from Audible or the library. I was so happy when I realized Overdrive/Libby carried audiobooks.
Some of my own books (you know, the ones I write :-)) are even available as audiobook. I have worked with amazingly talented narrators (like Jennifer Barragio, Kasi Hollowell and Tiana Hanson.) I mean, listen to this excerpt from LOVE IN B MINOR…Love it!
Why did I start narrating?
I did theater for a while when I was (much) younger and I always thought teaching was a bit like theater: modulating my voice, getting the audience as engaged as possible 🙂 Maybe that’s why I decided to dip my toes into the audiobook market as a narrator.
I mainly record in French. So, if you’re an author reading this and you’re thinking of expanding your work to the French audiobook market, I may be able to help 🙂
It is something I can do from home and I can organize my own schedule. Since I’ve been on treatments on and off for the past two years and had to quit my job as Adjunct Faculty, I’ve tried many different jobs on top of writing. I did some transcription with Rev.com. It was interesting, even though my pay per hour was really minimal. I’ve listened to audiobooks for a while and had been thinking about trying my hand at recording.
It hasn’t been smooth sailing. But, the main reason is that when I first tried, I did pretty much everything wrong. I had the wrong equipment. I didn’t have the right software. And I thought I could just master the files so didn’t work on setting up a proper studio.
Major fail.
And then fast-forward a year and I decided to really try.
I wanted to test the French audiobook market with the French version of FEAR ME, FEAR ME NOT (LA PEUR DANS LE SANG). I decided to hire an audiobook narrator for the male POV and I decided to record the other parts myself.
So…what are the first steps in narrating?
The first step? Go back to the beginning. What do you know about narrating? What does it entail?
What is audiobook narrating?
There are different ways and processes. Are you going to work from home? Are you going to rent a studio or work for a company?
I personally want to have the flexibility of working from home but I also find the process in an external studio pretty fascinating 🙂
Here are a few resources that you may find interesting and show different perspectives.
At the time of my research, the audiobook narrator Krystal Wascher was running a free class on audiobook narration which went over a lot of details. I found that extremely helpful.
I also went back to my theater classes and teaching techniques to see how I could modulate my voice. I read out loud. I listened to more audiobooks.
Do you want to know more?
In my next post, I’ll go over the equipment and software and how I set-up my studio and then I’ll go into where I got my first jobs (in addition to my own books).
If you have any questions for me, I’ll add the answers to those questions in another post on the topic. Don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments.
For the past several years, I have published bilingual books: one page in one language, one page in another language. Maybe it stems from my years as language learner or teacher.
I wanted to find a way to help people who are learning a foreign language to find new ways to enjoy that language. It also shows how translation isn’t word per word, how crucial it is to have the context and the magic of words, the importance of their meaning.
And I know some people learn better by listening than by reading or sometimes they need both, so I published an audiobook with one chapter in English and one chapter in French…
How did I do it? Some of my translations were done on Babelcube. I also have worked with translators on Upwork. I did some of my own formatting and for some of the books I’ve used freelancers on Upwork to do the formatting for me. I designed the covers for those books, only using inspiration for the French version of One, Two, Three for the English/German version of Love, Live, Dance.
Which one of my books do you want to see next? And in what language pairing?
Est-ce que vous apprenez l’anglais? Are you learning French? Ce livre peut vous aider…This book can help you… Une page en français, une page en anglais. One page in French, one page in English…
Elle pensait être sur le chemin de la gloire. Elle pensait avoir le monde du ballet à ses pieds. Elle pensait que ses rêves allaient se réaliser. Mais en une petite semaine, la vie de Natalya va être complètement bouleversée.
She thought she was on her way to the top… She thought she had the world of ballet at her feet…She thought all her dreams would come true. Within a week, Natalya’s life will be changed forever.
Are you learning French? Est-ce que vous apprenez l’anglais? This book can help you with that: one page in French, one page in English… Ce livre peut vous aider: une page en français, une page en anglais.
She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all. They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.
Il enchaîne les conquêtes. Elle est la sœur de son meilleur ami. Ils ne devraient pas être ensemble. Mais cet été, la tentation est trop forte.
Stai imparando l’inglese? Are you learning Italian? This book can help you with that: one page in English, one page in Italian…Questo libro può aiutarti: una pagina è in inglese e una in italiano.
She thought she was on her way to the top. . .Sixteen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya has one dream and one dream only: becoming the best ballerina ever. Within a week, Natalya’s life will be changed forever.
Credeva di essere sulla strada per il successo. . .La sedicenne Natalya Pushkaya ha un solo e unico sogno: diventare la più grande ballerina di sempre. Em uma semana a vida de Natalya vai mudar para sempre.
Lernst du Englisch? Are you learning German? This book can help you with that: one page in English, one page in German … Dieses Buch kann dir dabei helfen: eine Seite auf Englisch, eine Seite auf Deutsch…
She thought she was on her way to the top…Sixteen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya has one dream and one dream only: becoming the best ballerina ever. Within a week, Natalya’s life will be changed forever.
Sie hatte sich schon auf dem Weg zur Spitze gesehen…Die 16-jährige Natalya Pushkaya hat nur einen einzigen Traum: die beste Ballerina zu werden, die es je gegeben hat. Innerhalb einer Woche ändert sich Natalyas Leben für immer.
Lernst du Englisch? Are you learning German? This book can help you with that: one page in English, one page in German … Dieses Buch kann dir dabei helfen: eine Seite auf Englisch, eine Seite auf Deutsch…
Sie hat alles verloren. Kann sie noch an Liebe glauben? She lost everything, can she still believe in love?
Lernst du Englisch? Are you learning German?This book can help you with that: one page in English, one page in German …Dieses Buch kann dir dabei helfen: eine Seite auf Englisch, eine Seite auf Deutsch…
Sie ist die kleine Schwester seines besten Freundes. Er ist der größte Casanova von allen. Sie sollten nicht zusammen sein. Aber dieser Sommer ist zu verlockend.
She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all. They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.
Está aprendendo inglês? Are you learning Portuguese? This book can help you with that: one page in English, one page in Portuguese… Este livro pode te ajudar: uma página em inglês e outra em português…
She thought she was on her way to the top… Sixteen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya has one dream and one dream only: becoming the best ballerina ever. But…will she make it? Within a week, Natalya’s life will be changed forever.
Ela achava que estava a caminho do topo…Natalya Pushkaya de 16 anos tem um sonho apenas: se tornar a melhor bailarina do mundo. Mas ela vai conseguir? Em uma semana a vida de Natalya vai mudar para sempre.
Est-ce que vous apprenez l’allemand? Lernst du Französisch? Ce livre peut vous aider…Une page en français, une page en allemand… Dieses Buch kann dir dabei helfen: eine Seite auf Französisch, eine Seite auf Deutsch…
Elle pensait être sur le chemin de la gloire. Natalya Pushkaya, seize ans, a un seul rêve : devenir la meilleure ballerine du monde entier. Mais en une petite semaine, la vie de Natalya va être complètement bouleversée.
Sie hatte sich schon auf dem Weg zur Spitze gesehen…Die 16-jährige Natalya Pushkaya hat nur einen einzigen Traum: die beste Ballerina zu werden, die es je gegeben hat. Innerhalb einer Woche ändert sich Natalyas Leben für immer.
What languages do you want to learn?
Which one of my books do you want to see next? And in what language pairing?
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As you probably must know, because…well, I did talk about it a little bit 😉 I am running a release month campaign for my newest book TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT.
As September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month I’m donating $1 to the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society. Annnnnnd two of my friends are also donating $1. So for each book sold in September, $3 will be donated to the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society. Our goal is to reach 100 books.
So if you haven’t gotten your copy yet, don’t hesitate to grab one! The ebook is only $3.99!
Have you ever listened to an audiobook? Have you ever thought about recording one? 
Elodie Nowodazkij 