We gather as a community to sharpen the ideas that will define our future. Together, we challenge extractive systems, envision new models for our work, and build a world that honors our humanity.
We use writing as our tool for healing and radical change. Our focus is to shape culture across a wide range of domains such as wellbeing, community care, climate, and the future of work.
A cultural salon is a gathering of people to exchange ideas, hosted by an inspiring host known as a salonnière. Our name Salonnoire invokes this tradition of intellectual gatherings and is our tribute to the influential Black women who hosted iconic salons during the Harlem Renaissance and Chicago Black Renaissance. We honor the legacies of women like A'lelia Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, Gwendolyn Brooks, and many more, who created vibrant spaces that fueled cultural, intellectual, and artistic movements.
Salonnoire is a highly curated community and virtual writing group for writers, innovators, and scholars committed to building a more liberated world. Our members are currently writing books (non-fiction, fiction, poetry) or dissertations, conducting academic or journalistic research, or pursuing other styles of long-form writing (e.g., essays, Substack publications.)
Our community centers the lived experiences and intellectual traditions of Black women and folx, and we welcome all who are committed to our mission of collective liberation.
We curate our community to ensure members are aligned with our mission and are committed to consistent, engaged participation. This process helps us maintain a sacred space where deep thinking, vulnerability, and the sharpening of ideas can flourish.
To express your interest in joining Salonnoire, please click the "Request an Invitation" button on our page. You will be directed to a short form where you can tell us more about your work and why you feel connected to our mission. Our team reviews submissions on a rolling basis and will be in touch with the next steps.
Our weekly writing group is a sacred space designed to help you breathe, think, and create with intention. We meet online every Tuesday from 10 AM to 1 PM CT, and you are welcome to join for the whole time or for as little as 30 minutes. The structure is simple and flexible: at the top of every hour, we have a brief, optional chat, followed by a long, quiet period of communal writing. You can turn your webcam on to connect with the group or leave it off to focus on your work.
Salonnoire is hosted by Christa Clarke, a writer, coach, and culture strategist who created this space out of her own desire for a sacred community of Black writers and thinkers. While Christa hosts the space, Salonnoire is rooted in the belief that we are each other’s greatest resource and as members, we co-create this community together.
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