I'm deeply proud of @soontornvat & @MLConklin for being honored for @EverywhereFest. This honor is not just for them, but for the amazing team of volunteers who worked so hard to make EverywhereBookFest the most diverse and inclusive experience possible. They are the best! https://twitter.com/PublishersWkly/status/1305899376217223168

Yet, we cannot forget that PW left off the 2 women of color co-founders in the first place & instead of publicly acknowledging it, they did this:
Correction: EverywhereBookFest cofounders Christina Soontornvat & Ellen Oh were initially mistakenly omitted from this list.

I think it is so important to publicly acknowledge when harm is done. While I appreciate the great honor it is to be recognized on this list & I will happily celebrate all the wonderful honorees, I have decided to decline this honor for myself.

Christina & I agreed that it was important for one of us to accept the Star watch honor & one of us to make a stand. I pushed her to accept it. She absolutely deserves this honor along with Melanie. And EverywhereBookFest deserves the recognition also. I am proud of all of them.

But one of us has to say when something is unacceptable. Quietly slipping our names onto the list after erasing our contributions in the first place was wrong. That's what has been happening to BIPOC for years. We can't let it slide. We have to call it out.

While it was just a mistake, with no intent to cause harm, we have to look at impact. That impact was deeply hurtful, especially now. And for over 24 hours before we received a private apology, it felt deliberate. Centering whiteness over the hard work of women of color.

It was just an accident, just an oversight. And yet it hurt not just us, but all the BIPOC volunteers who saw their hard work erased also. And the slap in the face was the way they tried to quietly fix their mistake with no acknowledgement of the harm they did.

This list should be celebrated for the wonderful people being honored on it. Let's not take away anything from their achievements.

But as for me, I will decline this honor and hope that PW will understand & be more careful & more aware of the harm they cause BIPOC.