Hello Mia, thank you for writing in detail about bad experiences of women of color in publishing and other environments. I see maybe you haven't seen all of what I have written here -- white women are very much the "elephant" in terms of they are most of the staff at these companies, and they are making these decisions. I can't "unwhite" myself--I am who I am. I just now wrote that it is up to white women to stop upholding the violent and destructive culture that is destroying everyone's lives.

I agree that all of these experiences are terrible, and that the behaviors and attitudes you describe are unacceptable and destructive. It is very true that there are many white women involved in publishing and that they do not have the perspective or backgrounds to understand or acknowledge other women who are telling stories from their perspective. I am reading that you believe there should be "separate spaces" and that the "differences between being a white woman and any BIPOC should be emphasized." Then, if this is true--what is going on here is that this article I have written is "my space." If you should choose to invite me to review "your space" as I have read these bad, negative experiences of women treated horribly while expressing themselves in an honest and straightforward fashion, I am glad to do so.

I find none of the situations and stories you describe to be personally threatening to me. I believe all of these stories should have been told and should have been respected; each of the examples you give are completely negative and wrong. I do not have the funds to pay for a publishing company. I cannot afford to pay for distribution for others' work. I will speak to your fourth example: I for certain would have spoken up for the Indigenous woman and would not have allowed any talk of "she shouldn't say Holocaust" as the Native American genocide was the absolute worst that I know of. I do not support any of these examples you gave, and I have heard the same or worse from the types of individuals you are documenting and describing. I am just one person and I do not have much of a platform. But for what it is worth, I not only acknowledge, but understand and agree with what you say. Unfortunately there are many, many people involved in publishing, including many, many white American women, who cannot respect, understand, and work professionally with others from BIPOC backgrounds.

I wish I could say that the stories you have shared would make an impact on the business (which I am *not* currently involved in) ... over time ... I hope that they will. Oh: and I'm not a "white feminist." I'm just a "white" "woman."