Transparency & Equity in the Publishing Industry W/ Rebekah “Bex” Borucki

In this episode Bex talks about leaving Hay House, the largest mind body, spirit publisher in the world, due their choice to engage in racist and dangerous practices. She shares about the support (and lack thereof) she received after leaving, gives us a breakdown of how the publishing industry works and what authors experience, and she talks about her new equitable and transparent publishing company, Wheat Penny Press. 

ABOUT WEEZE

Louiza Doran, known and referred to as Weeze, is a cis-het Amazigh* female identifying human who uses she/her/they/them pronouns. She’s known as a coach, podcast host, advocate, agent of change, strategist and educator (to name a few) but is ultimately a compassionate provocateur that is out to help folks uncover their path of possibility.  

ABOUT BEX

Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, founder of BexLife® and the Blissed In® wellness movement, is a mother of five, a mentor for creative healers, and an author and publisher of books for big and little readers. As a mentor to creative healers, Rebekah guides her clients to create books and brand presences from the ground up and the heart outward. Her clients have gone on to receive publishing contracts with major houses like Simon & Schuster and Hay House. Rebekah is published by Hay House, the Quarto Publishing Group, and her own imprint, Wheat Penny Press. And most recently, Rebekah founded the WPP Little Readers Big Change Initiative, a 501(c)(3) registered public charity that provides free books, mental wellness tools, author visits, and writing workshops for students in grades PreK-8, public libraries, and community organizations.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT

Bex’s journey in leaving Hay House Publishing due to their racist and dangerous practices and their support of white supremacists & conspiracy theorists. How the publishing industry preys on authors and keeps them from accessing what they deserve for their work. How Bex’s belief in what publishing can and should look like birthed her publishing company, Wheat Penny Press. Leaning in to what doesn’t exist yet and creating it.  Honoring your journey and being honest about the fact that we all participate in the system in various ways, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. But we’re always learning and changing. What’s possible when we practice expanding our horizons and how we can facilitate change.

CALL TO ACTION

 

Rebekah is seeking support for her organization, the Little Readers Big Change Initiative, and her campaigns that support Black and brown authors and bookshops here: https://www.wheatpennypress.com/shop/support

 

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

 

Own Voices Movement

 

FOLLOW WEEZE TO STAY ENGAGED 

Website: https://www.accordingtoweeze.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accordingtoweeze

The Academy (it’s like Patreon): https://www.accordingtoweeze.com/the-academy

FOLLOW BEX TO STAY ENGAGED

Website:BexLife.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bexlife

Website: WheatPennyPress.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheatpennypress