"A New Spelling of My Name": Becoming a (Black, Feminist, Immigrant) Autoethnographer Through Zami. (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Burkhard, Tanja
• Other Names: Rowe Desireé D. guest-editor.; Silverman Rachel E. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Cultural studies, critical methodologies. Volume 20:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 124
• Page End: 133
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: autoethnography -- transnational Black feminism -- Black feminism -- transnational feminism -- Audre Lorde -- Black women -- women of color -- Afro-Germans -- Germany; Culture -- Research -- Periodicals; Popular culture -- Research -- Periodicals; 306.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1532708619878744
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-7086

Abstract

In this article, I provide the historical context for the reception of Audre Lorde's biomythography Zami's by Black women across the African diaspora as a backdrop for my own autoethnographic engagement of the book. I narrate my journey to claiming space within the field of autoethnography by anchoring my discussion in Zami and its themes. The goal of this work is to illustrate the crucial nature of autoethnographic work to transnational Black feminism, and its ongoing importance to women from and in marginalized communities.