Yelena Bailey, author of How the Streets Were Made: Housing Segregation and Black Life in America
General Nonfiction category
Each week leading up to the 33rd annual Minnesota Book Awards announcement, we are featuring exclusive interviews with our 36 finalists. You can also watch the authors in conversation with their fellow category finalists here.
In a year defined by a pandemic and its fallout, virtually everything about our lives has changed in some way. How has COVID-19 impacted your writing habits and preferences? Has the unique zeitgeist of the past year influenced your writing output in any ways that you can pinpoint?
On one hand, the pandemic has allowed me to carve out more time for writing now that I have fewer social engagements. More importantly, I have more time to be introspective and think about what I want to put out in the world. On the other hand, so much of this last year has been about surviving, or making it through events that it has been hard to rest long enough to write. For me, writing comes from a place of rest and reflection. I am still figuring out what that looks like now.
Would you tell us one or two things about your finalist book that you are particularly proud of, and why? (Sure, it may feel a bit un-Minnesotan to say so, but it’s not boasting if we ask!)
Writing this book was about expressing an idea that I had been thinking about for years, but could not quite express before – that when we talk about “the streets” or “the hood” we are talking about much more than a physical space created by housing segregation policies. We are talking about an idea that permeates culture and defines Blackness in specific ways. So far, it seems like this idea resonates with others, so that is something I am very proud of. It is always nice when you are able to translate your ideas into something tangible that resonates with others.
What do you hope that your audience learns or takes away from your book?
I hope readers will see the connections between government policy, media, and popular culture. I also hope they will better understand the stakes of narratives seen on TV or heard in music. Above all, I hope readers will feel empowered through a better understanding of how we ended up here and what we can do to move forward.
Minnesota enjoys a reputation as a place that values literature and reading. If this sentiment rings true for you, what about our home state makes it such a welcoming and conductive place for writers?
There is definitely a local culture that values reading and the arts. In fact, I used to brag about this when I lived out west. I think Minnesota is a great place for writers because there is an appreciation of writing as a craft. I also think Minnesotans are enthusiastic about continually learning and growing.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer with an interest in your category?
Trust yourself enough to run with a big, complicated idea. Sometimes your work won’t make sense to you, or anyone else, until you finish drafting your book. Part of the process is thinking through your ideas and making discoveries along the way. At the same time, avoid writing in complete isolation. Find a community of writers that can engage your work with care and help you turn your book into the best version of itself.
Tell us something about yourself that is not widely known! (It doesn’t have to be about your writing.)
This is not exactly a secret, but I am obsessed with schnauzers (including my own, Snickers). A much cooler fact though is that I used to live in Spain.
Yelena Bailey, Ph.D., is a writer, researcher, and former professor of English and cultural studies. She is currently the Director of Education Policy at the State of Minnesota’s Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.