Writing While Black: The Words, The Work, and The Wisdom, with Sharon Hurley Hall | Ep. 8

What does it mean to write while Black? To put your truth on the page in a world that so often tries to silence or sanitize it?

In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Lisa sits down with her brilliant big sister, Sharon Hurley Hall: author, anti-racism activist, and a fierce advocate for equity everywhere—including in the publishing industry.

Together, they explore the joys and challenges of writing as Black women, the publishing paths they've each chosen (Sharon is a self-published author; Lisa went the traditional publishing route), and the power of using their words as tools of both resistance and restoration.

This is more than a sibling conversation—it’s a masterclass in writing with purpose, publishing with intention, and building legacy on their own terms.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ The pros and cons of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing—straight from two sisters who’ve done both

✅ How to navigate racism, gatekeeping, and erasure in the publishing industry

✅ Why writing as a Black woman is both a radical act and a sacred responsibility

✅ The emotional labor of telling the truth, and how to care for yourself in the process

✅ How Sharon and Lisa each define success: not by sales alone, but by impact, agency, and integrity

CREDITS:

👸🏽Guest: Sharon Hurley Hall, author of I’m Tired of Racism

👸🏽Podcast Producer: Lisa Hurley, author of Space To Exhale and Founder of The Great Exhale

SHOW NOTES

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:

Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her) is an author, educator and anti-racism activist. A former journalist and writer, Sharon is also the author of I'm Tired of Racism: True Stories of Existing While Black and Exploring Shadeism. In addition, Sharon is the Founder of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter (where she's on a mission to fight racism one article at a time) and the SHHARE anti-racism membership community. In what passes for her spare time, Sharon provides mentoring for introverted Black women and creates courses to help people share their important stories. 

🔗 Connect with Sharon on:

LinkedIn

YouTube

Federate Social

Instagram

Learn more:

https://sharonhh.com

https://www.antiracismnewsletter.com/

https://books2read.com/tiredofracism#

ABOUT SPACE TO EXHALE:

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STAY IN TOUCH:

🔗  Connect with Lisa on

LinkedIn

Instagram 

TikTok

Learn more: 

SpaceToExhaleBook.com

Linktree

Engage!

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