Intimate Conversation with Sistah Minds
in Motions Book Club Atlanta
in Motions Book Club Atlanta
Sistah Minds in Motions enlightens your mind through the power, spirit, soul of sisterhood, and reading. We want to address every aspect of a women's world, physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. We are a small, newly formed African American book club and social organization for positive, spiritual women who enjoy reading! Our book selections will fluctuate to include non-fiction, fiction, inspirational, romance and a wide variety of other topics chosen by our members. We meet once a month, on the 4th Saturday.
BPM: Give us the history on your organization. How many members do you have?
SMM was established in November 2009 by Bobbi Ramey, our President. Our first official book club meeting took place on January16, 2010. Lashandra Searcy is the Treasurer, Rhonda Sidibe is the Events Coordinator, and I am Shannon Powell the Secretary. We are in Atlanta, Georgia and we have about 10 members.
BPM: What is the purpose for your organization? Do you host events during the year?
The idea was to bring together a diverse group of women who enjoy reading and to bond spiritually. . . Sistah Minds in Motions stemmed from a vision of desiring to bond resilient African-American women in cultivating friendships, encountering new and unique experiences, social gatherings, networking, taking part in community events and the overall encouragement of each member.
We will be attending the Cancer Walk this year and we are in the process of choosing a family in need for our annual Thanksgiving Basket, that we put together based on the need of the family that includes but not limited to food, toiletries, clothes and books for inspiration and books for the kids
BPM: What legacy will your club leave for those watching in the community?
We hope to show that reading can be fun and show especially our young kids that reading is not something you have to do only in school. It allows you escape and use your imagination.
Bobbi has also started Sistah Minds in Motions Little Divas, which is a Book Club for young girls from the ages of 8-13 to show them that getting together and reading can be fun and show them how girls can come together in "Sisterhood" and support one another. They also learn things such as cooking, sewing, braiding and other things girls love to do
BPM: Has there been a book that helped shape your life?
The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah is the book that got me started to reading. I was not going through anything at the time, but the story captured me and I was not able to put it down and from there on out, I was hooked.
BPM: Do you feel as if African Americans are represented in a good light in the novels you read?
I think all the books that I have read show us in a good light, whether good or bad, if it's real, the story needs to be told. I love to read positive novels but the ones that compel me most are the ones that tell about the struggle of day to day life and stuff that I see or have seen in real life and the outcome still comes out good.
BPM: Do you think digital books will ever replace a printed book? Does the price of ebooks play a big part in the purchase? Would you ever stop buying printed books?
There are only two members of our group at this present time that has an E-Reader, I have one, a Kindle, and I love it. The price is cheaper yes and that does play a big part in my purchase decision, and no I will never buy another printed book because of the Kindle.
I have been introduced to some authors that I know I would not know of if it wasn't for the Kindle, but we have another member LaShandra that states that she will NEVER buy an E-Reader, she loves the feel of printed books and she likes to see them on her book shelf and she also never buys used books. So no I do not think E Books will replace printed books, publishers may just start printing as ordered.
Interview completed by: Shannon Powell (Secretary)
Sistah Minds in Motions, Atlanta, Georgia
