Blackity Black Book Salon Community Agreements

Effective date: April 1, 2025

By joining this space, you agree to the following:

 

1. Centering Afrocentricity

This is an Afrocentric space. Dr. Molefi Kete Asante developed Afrocentricity as a theoretical framework in the 1980s. In basic terms, Afrocentricity is placing Black people and our experience at the center of our narratives, making us the subject and not the object of our stories.

We have been colonized as a people, and through colonization, we have been taught that the European or white supremacist way of doing, being, and thinking is the correct way. In short, we have been taught that white people are the natural authority and that their way of existing and thinking is universal. For many Black people, that has become the baseline and point of reference for how we move through life. That is a lie, and we are not doing that here.

This is a space of re-indigenization, and the first step in re-indigenization is the decolonization of the mind. Everything discussed and taught in this space will come from an Afrocentric pedagogy and praxis that centers Black Indigenous spiritual realities. We are here to center ourselves and reconnect with our divinity and power as Black people.

Rooted within the beliefs of Afrocentricity, this is a Pan African space. All Black ethnic groups are respected in this space. Diaspora wars will not be tolerated.

2. Who This Space Is For

This space is for Black people to read, learn, and grow together. If you are not Black and you have entered this space, respect the boundaries of this community and leave. A refund will be issued.

3. Zero Tolerance for Bigotry

There is a zero tolerance policy for bigotry of all kinds. This includes anti-Blackness, including internalized self-hate, chauvinism, misogynoir, homophobia, fatphobia, ageism, and transphobia. None of that is aligned with who we are. Bigotry is Eurocentric. Give the white man back his things so we can get free, because none of us are free unless we are all free. If you do not agree, please leave.

4. Honoring Black Women

Born from the legacy of the Combahee River Collective and our foremothers, this is a matrilineal space. Black women are acknowledged and revered as the wisdom and divine source of the original people of Alkebulan.

We acknowledge that until Black women are free, none of us are free. In order for Black women to be free, all systems of oppression would have to be destroyed, which would free everyone. That is the original way of Africana people.

If you have a problem with a Black woman being the leader and guide, or if you carry hatred toward Black women, this is not the space for you.

5. Spiritual Foundation of the Space

Black Indigenous spiritual realities are real. Black spiritual systems of knowledge and their respective traditions are real. Your Ancestors are real, and so are other Spirits. When Spirit is referenced in this space, it refers to people who were once living and are now ancestors.

This is a spirit-led space. I am a Black Spiritualist and an initiated Priest of the Orisha Ògún in the Lukumí tradition of Ifá. I am also a practitioner of Hoodoo and Palo Mayombe. Spirituality will always be discussed here because everything is spiritual.

This is not a space to debate spiritual beliefs. This is not a space for missionary work of any religion. You are free to worship how you choose, but you are expected to respect the spiritual boundaries of this community.

If you believe spirituality is demonic, this is not the space for you.

6. Leadership and Teaching Boundaries

This is not an open forum for everyone to teach African Diasporic History or Spirituality. This is a facilitated space where I will be teaching from the book we’re reading, which may include may include both history and Black Indigenous Spirituality.

People here have come to read with me because they may be former students, respect my knowledge, and trust my integrity. I have undergone the rites of passage necessary to teach and guide others, and I am also a scholar of African diasporic history. There is a lot of misinformation on the internet about Black Indigenous Spirituality and African Diasporic History. For that reason, please do not teach in this space unless you are invited to do so. You are, however, more than welcome to share your reflections.

Do not offer or advertise classes, spiritual services, readings, coaching, or any other wellness services. I will not be researching or vetting the members of this space beyond basic information. I cannot vouch for anyone's ability or knowledge. This is not personal. It is about protecting the integrity of the community and ensuring that people are not misinformed or scammed.

7. Intellectual Integrity

Everything that I will teach in this space is my personal intellectual property. Do not reproduce, sell, or teach this work without permission.

If you reference or quote what is shared, credit the original source. Honor each other in the same way. Do not take or reuse someone’s work without acknowledgment.

Information that belongs to the author will be cited as the intellectual property of the author, and it should be held with the same respect as my intellectual property. 

8. Closing Agreement

The books in this space may offer concepts that are foreign to your current knowledge. I ask that you please be mindful and respectful with how you engage the text and each other. If you don't understand something, it's not an invitation to belittle it. Keep your mind and your heart open; that is how we grow. 

Community agreements allow us to enjoy each other while maintaining mutual respect. This is how we care for the space and for each other.

All of us are worthy of love and community, and there are guidelines for being in community with me.

As the steward of this space, I ask that you respect these agreements. If you cannot adhere to them, please leave. May peace be your journey.

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If you have any questions, send an email to: [email protected]

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