Reflections from the #FBCReadathon

Feminist readers are the best people.

Wow.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect hosting our very first readathon. I’ve participated in a few over the years and knew that it was a lot of work from the organizers, but I never dreamed it would be so fulfilling and rewarding.

It’s Sunday night as I write this, and we just wrapped up our final Instagram Live where we gave away our grand prize (6 month subscription to Feminist Book Club!), and I honestly feel like I could run 3 miles and/or sleep for 3 weeks. I’m not sure if I want to have a solo dance party or go right to sleep. I’m energized and exhausted.

I’m so, so proud.

I’m not proud of myself necessarily, because I could’ve put in the exact same amount of hours and energy and had mediocre results.
I’m proud of this community. 

I’m honored to share a tiny corner of the bookish internet with such incredible people who were willing to take a leap of faith and spend their weekend hanging out online with other incredible people. People who were strangers last week who are a little less strange (or exactly as strange but a little more familiar). People who love to read, who love to share what they’re reading, who love to talk about books and food and pets and family. People who are willing to say “fuck it” and join a live video just to chit chat. People who recognize the value of self-compassion during a catastrophic year. People who recognize the value of pizza. Creative people, funny people, quiet people, smart people, and people who know reading is a form of resistance.

Yes, feminist readers are the best people. 

I am honored and humbled to be able to hold the container for this community. Thank you for entrusting this with me.
I can’t wait to do it again.

Renee Powers

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Renee Powers founded Feminist Book Club in 2018 to provide a space for intersectional feminists to learn, grow, and connect. When not reading or running the biz, you can find her drinking coffee and trying unsuccessfully to teach her retired racing greyhound how to fetch. Favorite genres: feminist thrillers, contemporary literary fiction, short stories, and anything that might be described as "irreverent"