Today we’d like to introduce you to Ayanna Poole.
Hi Ayanna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a young girl stared tentatively at her hand-me-down typewriter, she imagined all the stories of ancestral grounds held at her fingertips. She imagined that her tales would be just as resilient. Leaning into her great-grandfather, she asked, “What should I write?”. He looked down and said, “Write anything as long as it’s the truth.” For inspiration, she dawdled through his office space reserved for creativity, admired the thousands of books that filled the rooms, and found peace in being surrounded by stories of liberation in a place that she could call home. She felt the spine of a book and somehow felt connected to it as she gently removed it from the shelf. She began to flip through the pages and was astonished by the use of language that she hadn’t yet come to understand. It was in this moment she knew what her first story would be. Yours. This young girl was me.
My love for books started in an old office building behind my childhood home, built by my great-great-grandfather and occupied by my great-grandfather. This space was reserved for literature – reading and the writing of sermons, short stories and whatever this infinite art form would allow. Inside there were over 30,000 books that I’d grow to feel more connected to than cousins. I imagine that I always knew that where there were stories, there was a forever home for me. This love for books continued. In middle school, I wrote my first poetry chapbook and possibly my first love letter which to me weren’t much different. Writing was the only way I’d known to express myself, give myself to the world in ways that I hadn’t learned to do physically. So I continued to write whatever I felt – in hopes of an audience as I, myself, remained silent. By college, I knew that I loved literature but feared that it would not create a lasting career. For years, I shied away from majoring in English Literature only to end up exactly where I needed to be. I’d always known that these words I carry locked away in my womb created more life than imaginable when birthed.
So, I followed my heart. I found love and liberation through language. At the time Mike Brown was murdered, I was reading about black movements. I knew that I would be an asset to the movement and began to fight against systems of oppression in Missouri. By Fall 2015, I’d collaborated with some fellow activists to spearhead one of the most nationally recognized campus movements. Our efforts and triumph was documented by Spike Lee in the “2 Fists Up” 30 for 30 film. Upon graduation, I began to travel across the United States to help campuses with diversity initiatives, work directly with campus organizers, etc. But I still felt that I could impact communities in a more efficient way. I decided that I would teach. I began teaching 7th Grade ELAR in 2016. Ironically, 7th grade was the year that I’d lost my great-grandfather and developed my love for poetry. I continue to instill freedom through literature to my students, as I know that it was my journal that helped me to battle through my adolescence. In 2020, I published my first book to encourage black women, young and seasoned, to use their voice as a source of power. For the next year, I would serve as a publishing consultant, aiding black women in producing original Works that were authentic, culturally relevant and written in love. But still, I felt I could do more… After careful planning, February 2021, I released Jesmer Books Publishing, LLC, the first black-owned book publishing company in Dallas, TX. I’ve dedicated my life to giving voice to oppressed peoples through literature in hopes of increasing authorship of our most marginalized communities.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Book publishing has for long been an archaic industry to gain access into. Ultimately, our access to authentic literature has been limited as we battle systemic oppression. Although I attribute my perseverance to authors such as Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, Monica Hand and Gwendolyn Brooks, there are still so many stories waiting to be told. The biggest challenge has undoubtedly been finding where I fit. So many doors were closed on me as I tried to enter into a career in publishing, but sometimes when doors are closed on us it is because it is a space that was structured to keep us out. Instead, we must open doors for ourselves and others. We must infiltrate in ways that are innovative and inclusive. I’d like to say that all of these road blocks created a new direction for my own hopes and dreams to thrive.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Jesmer Books Publishing?
Jesmer Books is the first black-owned publishing company in Dallas, TX. Our corporation is dedicated to giving voice to oppressed peoples across the country through the infinite art of literature. We seek to increase authorship of disenfranchised groups as we assist individuals through every step of the book development process. It is a pleasure to serve a myriad of communities in such an immense capacity. As we have for long tried to gain access into an archaic publishing industry, black authors, specifically, have been silenced and overlooked. It is our goal to break these barriers and incite a literary revolution. Our company specializes in idea and book development, copy editing, formatting, marketing, publishing and distribution.
What sets us apart from traditional publishing companies is that we work directly with clients through the entire book writing process in order to ensure quality, authenticity, readability, and clarity. Most companies require clients to have a completed book prior to working with their company. We can take something as simple as an idea and create something magical and timeless. And if that isn’t enough, for our first year of business all of our authors retain 100% of their royalties. This is something unheard of for most companies. I am most proud to have the first black-owned publishing company, but moreover, I am happy to be able to fight for liberation through literature. I am proud that I can serve communities and the movement in this unique way.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the opportunities that are allotted to creators of the city. Dallas creates opportunities to be ingenious, in our own right, and network with others who are like-minded and share our interests. However, sometimes access into these groups or to be in attendance at events that promote such options are not noticeable.
Contact Info:
- Email: ayannapoole@jesmerbooks.com
- Website: www.jesmerbooks.com
- Instagram: @yannamo_
- Twitter: @yannamo_
