The Sanctuary
A Sacred Space for BIPOC Women Writers hosted by Lori L. Tharps
The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary is a private membership community for BIPOC women writers. The Sanctuary is a safe space for women who yearn for a writing community that is inspiring, supportive, nurturing, and centers the needs and experiences of BIPOC writers. Our goal is to help as many BIPOC women writers as possible get their stories out of their heads and into the world.
What People are Saying about The Sanctuary…
Who Belongs in The Sanctuary?
Women writers who identify as Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latina, Asian, Multiracial, and/or some other manifestation of the melanin-rich.
BIPOC women writers who:
Identify as emerging writers or seasoned authors.
Write nonfiction, journalism, poetry and/ or fiction.
Write with the goal of getting their work professionally published and out into the world (Note: We are self-publishing vs traditional publishing agnostic.)
Understand with their whole selves that storytelling can change the world!
The community and content found in The Sanctuary is not geared towards novice writers, or those who have not spent any significant time dedicated to the craft of writing. We assume emerging writers have at minimum studied or practiced the craft enough to know what they want and what they need to improve their writing, and get it published and into the world.
For BIPOC writers who are still new to writing, please consider taking a few classes and/or workshops before applying to The Sanctuary.
“There’s an ecstatic side to writing. It’s like jazz. It just has a life.”
-Alice Walker
Why Should You Join The Sanctuary?
It is a fallacy that writers must toil away in isolation. The truth is, writers need community in order to thrive. The Sanctuary is that community. We are a high-touch, intimate community where Sister Scribes can access everything they need to optimize their writing life. We’re not a repository of pre-recorded content or a community in name only, in The Sanctuary we take care of our members because we want them all to experience successful writing careers.
The Sanctuary provides the continuing education writers need to improve their craft via monthly live workshops.
The Sanctuary provides the professional development writers need to make a living from their writing, via live workshops, fireside chats, and access to expert lectures.
The Sanctuary will provide resources writers need to optimize their writing life, instead of spending hours searching on the Internet, and/or pouring money into resources that don’t deliver. Resources include job opportunities, calls for submissions, listings for residencies, retreats, prizes and grants, specifically curated for BIPOC writers.
The Sanctuary provides BIPOC writers access to their fellow BIPOC sister scribes and BIPOC literary professionals - agents, publicists, publishers - who will be their supporters, cheerleaders and champions.
The Sanctuary offers a sacred space where BIPOC women writers can flourish and grow as writers and active literary citizens.
Meet the Team
The Sanctuary is a high-touch community where members get access to a curated network of publishing and media professionals based on the long-standing literary careers of our team members.
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Founder + HostLori L. Tharps is an award-winning author, journalist, and former tenured college professor, whose work lands at the intersection of race and popular culture.
She is the author of three critically acclaimed non-fiction books that deal with race, culture and identity, including Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America, and Kinky Gazpacho.
Lori is also the author of the novel, Substitute Me (Atria) and three “celebrity memoirs.” In addition to her books, Lori’s work can be read in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Essence, Glamour, and Entertainment Weekly magazines. (To learn more about Lori and her professional background, please visit her personal website at LoriLTharps.com.)
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Community Manager + CoachMaceo Nafisah currently lives in Central Portugal with her two children. She is a Muslim Cuban-American writer, entrepreneur, and book coach.
Maceo has a BA in Latin American Studies from Bradford College and an MA in Writing and Consciousness from New College of California.
Her play Amor Cubano: In a Bottle, a Tube and a Small Packet (2007-2008) was produced in the Bay Area and NYC and toured the South of the US.
A former bookseller in Oakland, CA Maceo is the co-founder and community manager of the Muslim Writers' Salon working with writers in 14 countries.
How to Join The Sanctuary
To join The Sanctuary, writers must fill out a brief application to ensure they are a good fit for the community. Upon acceptance, they will receive a link to join and pay their membership fees.
Fees for The Sanctuary can be paid on a 1-month, 3-month (quarterly) or annual basis because we are looking for writers who are committed to their craft and their community. We believe a minimum commitment of three months is ideal to experience all The Sanctuary has to offer, and to make your own contribution to The Sanctuary community.
Basic
2024 Fees for the Sanctuary
(Please note: Even if the monthly membership fee for The Sanctuary increases, the price you pay initially will be locked in for life.)
Monthly - $37
Quarterly - $111
Annually - $400