About

DBLAC (Digital Black Lit and Composition) is an education-focused non-profit that serves as a learning community for academic professional development, networking, and resource-pooling. We support work by emerging scholars connected to fields related to language and composition. A digital network of members who self-identify as Black and/or who support Black education, DBLAC focuses its attention on academic introduction and retention through a cluster of signature programs aimed at modeling Black feminist and communal practices for connections and coalition-building. You can read more about our mission and some of our work on our website: dblac.org.

Though many of our programs are tailored to Black graduate students, we are increasingly aware of the collective and universal need for community, especially in intellectual pursuits. That considered, we strive to share our methods and also to promote supportive communal interactions when possible.

Our Virtual Writing Group is an extension of our organization's goal to foster a learning community where members are able to present their ideas, research, and writing amongst emerging scholars as a means of professional support and development.

The Virtual Writing Group is an individual commitment reinforced by communal support. We are aware that each participant in this writing group may be working on different projects from different locales and for different purposes. in acknowledging these varying moments of entry and departure, we hope that this group's interaction will be a source of support and motivation.

The primary goal of this space is intentional planning and positive accountability. Although we will not share our writing, we will share affirmations, goals, and reflections throughout each session. If you desire additional support, do not hesitate to reach out via email <dblacorg@gmail.com> and we will do our best to connect you with helpful information and individuals.

The Virtual Writing Group was organized and led by Khirsten L. Scott and Lou Maraj from Summer 2018 through Summer 2019. Khirsten and Lou are co-founders of DBLAC and Assistant Professors of English at the University of Pittsburgh. The space is currently organized and led by DBLAC's Area Liaisons Taylor Waits, University of Pittsburgh Doctoral Student (English, Composition) and Brittany Hill, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Doctoral Candidate (English, Composition)

As our co-founders worked on their dissertations, Lou in Columbus, Ohio and Khirsten in Louisville, Kentucky, they set aside a couple days a week (often times more than a couple) to have virtual accountability writing time. During these times they would establish our goals, write, and most important, encourage one another throughout the process. This model worked and continues to work for them on small and large projects as graduate students, so they brought it to our DBLAC fam and writers at large.

Summer 2018: Ja'La Wourman, a Black graduate student from Michigan State's Writing, Rhetoric, and American Culture department, tweeted that she needed a virtual writing group for the summer because she was struggling to maintain self-motivation as they related to her writing activity. After a few exchanges via Twitter and some planning meetings, we were ready to put the writing group plans to action.