Episode 31: A Conversation On "The Other Black Girl” - Author Zakiya Dalila Harris Talks Writing Her First New York Times Best Seller

Zakiya Dalila Harris Headshot.jpeg

Zakiya Dalila Harris

Author of New York Time Bestseller, “The Other Black Girl”

 

This week’s episode features Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of the New York Times Bestseller, that is also being adopted into an upcoming Hulu series, “The Other Black Girl.”

Listen as we discuss Zakiya's journey to writing her first novel, including how her own experiences in the workplace influenced the story and character development, the masterful genre-bending that she executes throughout the novel, and ultimately what she hopes readers takeaway about racism, privilege, diversity, predominately white work spaces, and the Black women who navigate these dynamics everyday.

BWTW Conversation Highlights

Myriha (Host) : You do an amazing mix of genres in this book, including dark comedy, horror, thriller, science fiction, and more. How do you feel that the mixing of the genres has contributed to the overall impact of the commentary that you're making about diversity in the workplace?

Zakiya Dalila Harris: I think it had a huge impact. One of the things that I loved as a kid was The Twilight Zone and also, now Black Mirror. So I think that genre can comment on really weird, upsetting and frustrating things that a straight re-telling of something can't necessarily comment on. With this book, I was really hoping to have people turning the pages and keep readers interested and laughing and excited. I wanted this story to be able to reach as many readers as possible and I also just felt that was really important to have this blending of the sci fi and horror. But also that's who I am, I am such an amalgamation of so many different things and pieces that I've picked up along the way.

Myriha (Host): When you reflect back on the beginning of your career, what advice would you give the younger Black woman that you were, trying to thrive and navigate the complexities of predominantly white workplaces?

Zakiya Dalila Harris: I think the advice I would give myself now, on the other side of things, and also having a therapist, which is wonderful, is to advocate for yourself more. There were still moments when I could have asserted myself and could have spoken up in a tactful way, because I still am someone who likes to get along with people and find a way to make spaces work. Even when, it feels like we're in 1955 and nobody's understanding where I'm coming from. But I do think that it’s important to trust yourself. And also, knowing you're not crazy. That anxiety that you feel sitting at the table by yourself all the time, that's real. And you're allowed to feel that and just trying to find ways to manage that feeling, harness it if you can, and find your network outside of your workspace.

Myriha (Host): If there was one final takeaway that you would want your readers to learn from The Other Black Girl, what would that be?

Zakiya Dalila Harris: I think my final takeaway for all readers would just be exactly like what you said about the fact that we are not a monolith. I want readers to leave with five more examples of what it's like to be a black woman in this country. Like, they're all different. They're all messy. They all make decisions that are very questionable sometimes. But they all I think, deserve to be seen. Because we are not all one story. We're not all struggle. And we're also not whatever we're often pigeonholed to be; I feel like we're often only allowed to be two or three different things. And that's it. And so, my hope is that you just see more examples of Black thought and Black hair and Black conversations and, and also have fun.

Connect with Zakiya Dalila Harris

Additional Notes

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Myriha Burce