The Game is Rigged: Publishing While Black
Join award-winning authors and sisters Sharon Hurley Hall and Lisa Hurley for a ground-breaking conversation about the systemic barriers Black authors face in traditional publishing - and the powerful alternatives we have access to.
With only 5-7% of published authors being Black despite representing over 13% of the US population, and 72.5% of publishing staff being white, the numbers tell a damning story. But beyond the statistics lies the human cost: dreams deferred, voices silenced, and stories that never reach the readers who need them most.
This isn't just a conversation about what's broken. It's a guide to the solutions available - and it covers both traditional publishing and self-publishing.
Whether you're an aspiring author, a published writer, a reader committed to supporting marginalised voices, or a publishing professional ready to drive real change, this session will challenge, inspire, and equip you with practical strategies for action.
What You'll Learn:
The structural barriers Black authors face in traditional publishing, from gatekeeping to tokenism to marketing that pigeonholes diverse voices
How self-publishing can be an act of resistance and a tool for liberation
Strategies for giving your book more visibility in a biased market
And much, much more
Who Should Attend
Aspiring authors seeking authentic pathways to publication
Published authors navigating industry barriers
Readers committed to supporting diverse voices
Publishing industry professionals ready to drive systemic change
Anti-racism activists and allies
Anyone interested in the intersection of publishing, racism, and social justice
About Your Presenters
Sharon Hurley Hall is an anti-racism activist, educator and self-published author of I'm Tired of Racism: True Stories of Existing While Black.
Award-Winning Author & Community Builder:
Finalist, American Writing Awards 2025
Top Pick, Author Shout Awards 2025
Featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, Digiday
Honouree, Restorative People Leaders Watchlist 2025
Silver Anthem Award Winner (The Introvert Sisters Podcast)
Sharon is the Founder and Curator-in-Chief of Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter, reaching 5,700+ engaged subscribers with her twice-weekly insights on existing whilst Black in majority-white spaces. She is also the author of Exploring Shadeism, an analysis of colourism in Barbados and the wider Caribbean.
Through Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter she provides thousands of subscribers with practical insight for genuine allyship. Her SHHARE community offers a brave space for members to deepen their commitment and put anti-racism into practice in their own lives and workplaces.
With over 30 years as a professional writer and journalist, and a background in Media and Cultural Studies, Sharon brings both sharp analysis and lived experience to her work: helping people move from good intentions to real, lasting change.
Lisa Hurley is a five-time Anthem Award-winning activist, author of the award-winning book Space To Exhale: A Handbook for Curating a Soft, Centered, Serene Life (Wiley), and founder of The Great Exhale, a global virtual community dedicated to sisterhood, serenity, and soft living for Black women.
Award-Winning Author & Community Builder:
Five-time Anthem Award Winner
Two-time Silver Muse Award Winner (The Great Exhale)
Honoured as one of the Top 20 Entrepreneurs to Follow on LinkedIn
Voted one of LinkedIn's Top 50 Black Creators
Recognised as one of the Top 10 Anti-Discrimination Activists in the World
Named one of pocstock's Future of Black America Top 50 Leaders
Lisa is the host and Executive Producer of Space To Exhale: The Podcast, a five-star-rated show focusing on self-care for Black women. She is also the Co-Founder and Co-Host of The Introvert Sisters Podcast, which won a Silver Anthem Award.
Her thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Adweek, Essence, Fast Company, and Sweet July. A second-generation Reiki Master and rest advocate, Lisa's work centres Black women and converges at the nexus of self-care, community care, joy, and rest.
Lisa is an Executive Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), a board member of YuVoice, a Juror for the Anthem Awards, and a Founding Member of The Book Academy. She holds a BA from the University of the Virgin Islands and attended New York University.
Event Details
Date: 1 May, 2026
Time: 1.30PM Eastern (90 minutes including 15-minute Q&A)
Format: Online via Zoom
Accessibility: Live captions will be provided. The recording will be made available to all registered participants until 31 May 2026.