Membership

In 2020 our membership and inclusion policies were developed by an independent members working group led by Yassmin Abdel-Magield, Elijah Lawal, Sofia Akel, Rachael Twumasi-Corson, Maame Blue and Jendella Benson.

The voluntary work of the members group was then clarified and adopted by the guild’s organising committee led by Nels Abbey, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Symeon Brown. After the members working group concluded Rachael Twumasi-Corson and Elijah Lawal supported the work of the organising committee in 2021.

Membership

In 2020 the members working group recommended that the Black Writers Guild (BWG) register as a Community Interest Company (CIC), introduce a membership fee and implement a membership body to oversee membership matters. At present membership is open but the working group suggested an application form for prospective members to complete that can be rejected if applicants are unsuitable and their membership would bring the guild into disreput by demonstrating harmful or discriminatory behavior.  

The organising committee accepted the recommendations and incorporated the BWG as a CIC in 2021. The BWG are committed to introducing a membership fee and a membership body when able to administer it adequately with a full time coordinator. Plans to hire a part time coordinator and managing director were announced at the 2022 conference.

Once the managing director is in place the organising committee would become a formal board for the BWG.

Inclusion

The Black Writers Guild (BWG) welcomes all black writers regardless of publication history or field. We recognise all intersectionalities within the lived black experience and we do not discriminate based on gender identity, complexion, religion, age, ability/disability, nationality, sexuality, members who are biracial, or any of the other ways in which members choose to identify. We are not hierarchical; we respect different points of view and acknowledge different experiences. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, and talent is what strengthens our union.

We will always champion equality and inclusivity, and do not abide any discrimination across all our endeavours. Our initial focus is creating positive change in the publishing industry with a secondary focus on other industries writers of African and African-Caribbean heritage work in Britain.

Read our Code of Conduct here.