Don't Steal My Flowers...

On most Sunday afternoons I host online live discussions, a podcast I suppose, on various subjects, mostly involving Black women, all involving subjects of interest or relevant to Black people. 

Ironically, or maybe not, last Sunday I hosted a conversation with Black women only about how we treat and respond to one another. It's a conversation that we tend not to have amongst/about ourselves. It was well received. A good discussion was had...

We don't talk enough about how we treat each other. There's a code that's unspoken, presumed known, and expected to be respected by others in our community. Sometimes that doesn't happen.

In the last week I have had two incidents where someone failed to give credit for work I've done. That's not cool y'all... 

One person derailed a group trip planned and coordinated by me. A friend of hers is now being credited for "coordinating" the trip. 👀 

Someone else on Facebook reposted my work which went viral absent acknowledgement that it was written by me... 👀 

It's rough out here in these creative streets. Protect your turf... 

I am addressing both issues. Below is the Facebook post I made in response to my written work reprinted absent author recognition.

Social media is a new animal, indeed. It's a phenomenon of its own, but it does not negate respect or protection of one's creative work. Often ownership of work is not indicated. But when it is, give the creator their props. Put some respect, some limits, on use of other people's property...

Here is my Facebook post:

Good Morning Folks,

I know that when we post intellectual property, our written or graphic creations, on social media platforms, we don't have a whole lot of control over what happens with it, who reads it, who reposts it, etc. I get that... 

So, I started adding my byline, Miss Higgi Says, to most of what I write. 

I respectfully ask, if in fact you share my creative work, please don't remove my signature byline, Miss Higgi Says, and do tag me, if you will... If I wrote something and didn't add any byline and you are so moved to share it, please indicate that I wrote it and not you, add the byline and tag me. This seems a small request, a professional courtesy...

I just realized that the piece I wrote the other day regarding the White House Correspondence Dinner was shared by 16 people from my Facebook page. I don't always make my posts shareable, my page is private. A friend asked me to make the piece shareable, which I didn't mind. I know when she shares my work she's going to indicate I wrote it. I would like to ASSume that friends, even most Facebook friends, will do the same. The emphasis on "most". I get that part too... I enjoy writing and appreciate any appreciation of my craft. 

A person in my Facebook friend group shared this particular piece and received over a thousand comments, most agreeing with or thanking her for what they presumably thought she wrote. It was shared 655 times from her page alone and likely by many others from there. In other words, my writing went viral. 

One problem...

My signature byline was removed from the post, simply replaced with a random tag of my name. No indication was given that I wrote it. That bothers me y'all...

Again, if you share something I wrote or created or anybody else wrote or created, boldly give that person credit for their work. That's all I'm saying. 

That's what's on my mind this morning... 

~ Miss Higgi Says,

Good Wednesday Morning & Do Unto Others...