My Farewell to The North Star
Today concludes two and a half years of my time here at The North Star. It's been a life-changing experience.
Dear Supporters of The North Star,
Today is my last day as the Chief Content Editor here at The North Star, as well as the end of my tenure as a full-time staffer. And among the various emotions that come with the conclusion of this chapter in my professional life, chiefly is a feeling of gratitude for your support of my work throughout this season.
For the past two and a half years I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to write stories and essays and poems and commentary and record podcasts and direct editorial content and mentor other writers via this platform, and none of that would have been possible without your support of this outlet and its commitment to advocating on behalf of marginalized peoples. I’ve interviewed fascinating humans and labored over words and ideas for countless hours — all in the name of doing my part to shed truth and light and provide a nuanced look at some of the most pressing issues of the day.
Your reading eyes and listening ears allowed this to be a possibility. Your critique, commentary and at times loving redirection of my work have given me an education in content curation that is invaluable. I have grown exponentially as a storyteller and human while in service to you, the cherished TNS audience, and for that, I am forever appreciative.
I cannot wrap up this moment in time without giving thanks to my bosses, Shaun and Rai King. What started as an inquiry from me to Shaun about the possibility of writing for The North Star developed into a life-changing career move that helped my family and I facilitate a cross-country move and were a critical part of my wife and I becoming homeowners earlier this year. The King family has become a part of my extended family and the crew at The North Star are some of my all-time most cherished colleagues. I wish us all blessings and great favor in whatever directions the future takes us, and am immensely grateful for the counsel and insight and love I have received here.
So what’s next for me? Well, one of the biggest things in my immediate future is the development of my Substack literary blog, Observations In Blackness which will consist of essays, cultural criticism, poetry and interviews centered around Black culture, art, politics and revolution, curated primarily in written form with sprinklings of audio and video content. Subscribers to Observations In Blackness can expect new material between 2-5 times per week, along with an emailed newsletter. Most of the content will be exclusive to paid subscriptions but there will be free offerings each week. There are already a few pieces there, I invite you to check them out.
As my departure from The North Star is an involuntary one, I am hoping to be able to continue to support myself and my family in the manner that best aligns with my calling — writing and advocating for and about the nuances of Blackness. Additionally, I will be continuing my career as a teaching artist and performance poet in my new home state of Maryland, and working on creative projects that infuse history and culture. I do hope that those of you who have enjoyed my writings here at The North Star consider subscribing to Observations In Blackness, as it is my plan for it to be a communal space of idea exchanges, an interrogation of beliefs, a resource hub and hopefully, a funky good time.
Now, before I go, I wanted to leave y’all with a list (with links) of my top 10 favorite pieces I wrote for The North Star. These pieces were heavily engaged with by you, the readers and supporters, which in turn made them some of my finest moments on this platform. After two and a half years, I amassed hundreds of bylines, but these were special — as was my time in community with all of you.
Peace & love,
Donney
TOP 10 FAVORITE TNS PIECES
Racism Has Always Been a Critical Matter in the U.S. Whether Some Folks Want to Deny History or Not.
Adding Insult to Misery: A Timeline of Black Massacres and the Reparations that Never Came
Black Americans Believe in Heaven More than Every Other Racial Group. There are Reasons Why that Is
6. "Replacement" Religion7. Bars on the Page vs Bars Inside a Cage: On Legislation Efforts to Decriminalize Rap Lyrics
8. Ahead of Howard University's Homecoming Students Continue Ongoing Protests
9. The Subtext of Daniel Cameron's Press Conference on Breonna Taylor's Killers
In your corner, always.
Thanks Donney, for always keeping it real, with the Black perspective. They say that all good things must come to an end. But for you, I know that this is not your last stop. Much success and will always be an avid fan and follower.