Who We Are
Authentic
Connected
Spirit-Filled
Hi, I’m Ebony Aya, the founder of the Aya Collective and CEO of Aya Media and Publishing, LLC.
In our work, we prioritize connecting Black women writers. We do this by centering our spirituality and sacred practices, curating opportunities for Black women to write, and focusing on writing in community with each other in order to provide support and encouragement to the collective.
Connect with us:
Services
Current Opportunities
Call for Black Women Artists: Finding the Voice Within
The Aya Collective and the Language Attitude Institute is issuing a call for Black women artists to support the soon to be released anthology, Finding the Voice Within. Project concepts are due Friday, April 19 at 11.59 pm, with projects slated to start May 1. Please read the call for more information including timelines and deliverables.
Reconsidering Eve
Our newest text to be released this year is all about Eve! You know, the woman with the apple and the tree. Send us a short video or written description telling us how your understanding of Eve has impacted the way that you have seen yourself as a Black woman by May 1. Submit your story here.
Sacred Saturdays (Ongoing)
Sacred Saturdays are designed to give Black women participants the opportunity to come together and write before they get pulled into the rest of their day. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of every month from 8 – 9.30 am CST (virtually). Get your cup of tea, your journal/computer, and join us. Link to sign up.
Our First Anthology
Let the Black Women Say Ase’
The ase’ is a word of affirmation, of agreement, that the storytellers in this anthology give to each other…in this anthology we are taught to embrace the fullness and diversity of our spirituality.
The Chronicles of Our Ancestors, by Dr. Tyner
Boxes of Liberation, by Karla Mendoza
Love Letters to Liberated Self, Princess Haley
Our First Text
The Gospel According to a Black Woman
What happens if we took the word ‘gospel,’ a word that has been traditionally used in a Christian context, and opened it up to broader usage? What happens if we, as Black women, insisted that truth is not only found in sacred texts like the Bible, but is also found in us, within the depths of our experience? What happens if we collectively insisted that our lives, our bodies, are also sacred texts that need to be studied and taken seriously?
Additional Services and Work offered by the Aya Collective
Writing and Research
Read a recent article by our founder, Ebony Aya about the experiences of Black women in higher education.
Education and Training
Check out our YouTube channel to view our 2020 summer series Talking Back.
Intentional Mentoring
Want to deepen your writing practice? Email ebony@ayacollectivemn.com for more information.
Aya Collective MN 