Letter from the Editor

As someone who was born and raised in Alabama, family was always very important to me. Whether that be blood-related or found. They may have worked my nerves, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything else in the world. They were the ones who taught me everything I know today. I learned how to cook and bake by observing both my grandmothers, I learned how to sew from my mother–--whom I share a love of clothes, shoes, and bags with--and I learned so much more from aunts, uncles, and cousins that have shaped me into the person I am today. 

I, as many others do, have experienced loss. The feeling you get when you lose someone so close to you is one that has you questioning your very own existence. I often thought to myself, “How can I go on without you here?” I then discovered that the answer to that is through memory. Through memory, those people are immortalized. Those memories keep us going. That’s why I’m so happy to have been part of this project. 

I remember seeing the post for an editor position but felt that I shouldn’t apply. A voice then came over me to do so anyway, and I’m so glad that I listened to that voice. The majority of my experience comes from my theatrical background and from working in my alma mater’s writing center. I have always found joy in writing because it gave me the freedom and autonomy that I desperately sought out. I turned to the writing of others too! I was able to imagine a world beyond the one that I was currently inhabiting. 

I am so glad that an opportunity to work as the Editor for The Black Ordinary Zine came by. A project that aligns with my own personal mission is one that I love to work with. Getting to work with the founder, Kaitlyn B. Jones, has been such an amazing and rewarding experience. I enjoyed getting to hear how she developed The Black Ordinary from her own family archive. She inspired me to dig into my family’s history a little deeper. She is truly an exceptional individual that everyone should know. 

Kaitlyn and I sat on a call for a while, wondering what the zine's theme should be. We decided to wait until we reviewed the pitches to allow the theme to unfold organically. The selected contributors' writings center personal investigations into family histories, Black material culture, and memory work. We picked a group of immensely talented writers that I am so excited for you to read. Through these contributors, I have learned so much about Black American history that I didn’t know existed!

I hope you all enjoy, and please be sure to sign up for The Black Ordinary newsletter and follow on all social media platforms to stay up to date.

With love,

Jer’Howard “Ess” Paige