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Ignore The Crone Who Baits You

Ashley Ford on self-determination and place

Adrienne Gibbs
ZORA
Nov 16, 2020

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Black woman meditating.
Photo: madison lavern/Unsplash

Writer (and official HBO Lovecraft Country podcaster) Ashley Ford has five things to say about what’s important to her right now. Of this most recent list, what resonated most with me was her story of the old crone always cackling in her ear. And also, Indiana.

Ford writes:

My accomplishments are difficult for me to remember to share and celebrate. Despite being Very Online, I am always worried that when I take the time to say a kind thing about myself or something I’ve done, some old crone with a long finger is going to jump out of the shadows, pointing, and mocking me…

Black women are often taught to shrink in order to make someone else feel good. And while I understand the need to be cautious in self-congratulations, I celebrate Ford’s decision to tell all of us all the things that she has going on and is proud of. She’s contemplating life back in Indiana. She’s got a book coming out in 2021. She’s doing a lot. All of it is good stuff. Read more about her “Five Things” here.

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ZORA
ZORA

Published in ZORA

A publication from Medium that centers the stories, poetry, essays and thoughts of women of color.

Adrienne Gibbs
Adrienne Gibbs

Written by Adrienne Gibbs

@adriennewrites on all socials Dir of Content @Medium. Award-winning writer. Featured by Beyoncé. Priors: EBONY, Netflix, Sun-Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe

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