Rejection is a harsh reality that every artist faces at some point. In this video, I share my personal journey through various rejections and how they've shaped me into the artist I am today. From high school setbacks to college struggles, and nearly losing my first book deal, I've encountered rejection in many forms. But through these experiences, I've learned valuable lessons about resilience, confidence, and self-acceptance.
VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 INTRO + What Rejection Can Look Like
05:20 - Isolation as a Sign of Rejection
07:10 - My High School Rejection Story
10:10 Not feeling good enough as an English major and writer in college
14:48 Struggling to feel confident as a freelance journalist and writer
18:24 My first book almost wasn't published??
23:00 How insecurity made me wary of my book offer
24:30 Why it can be good to name our fears around rejection
25:35 - Grieving & Changing Perspectives on Rejection
27:24 - Reflections as a Published Author
31:49 Reminding myself how much I've done as a Black writer, organizer, and educator
32:28 How to face REJECTION
Facing Rejection As An Artist