Meet Courtney Napier | Writer-Journalist and Founder of Black Oak Society

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Napier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
There are a number of incredible Black women writers and journalists who inspire me, but I’ll keep it to three. The first is Nikole Hannah-Jones. I was familiar with her writing for the NY Times when she covered racism and education, but the release of The 1619 Project opened up my eyes to the possibility of merging untapped historical narratives and presenting them in provocative and creative ways. There’s also Isabel Wilkerson, a journalist and the author of The Warmth of Other Suns and her newest book, Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents. She is such an incredible storyteller. Engaging her work feels more like reading a novel than reading a history book, and that is what I strive to do with my writing. Finally, I am deeply inspired by Deborah Holt Noel, who hosts two shows on North Carolina’s PBS station: “NC Weekend” and “The Black Issues Forum.” Like her, I have a deep love for my home state and I admire how she has spent her entire career bringing North Carolina’s hidden gems and narratives into the light. Finally, all three women represent how the power of the pen (or the TV camera) can create positive change and bring us as Black people closer to justice. They show me that not only is it personally fulfilling to make a living doing what I love to do as a journalist and writer, but it is my weapon against injustice that I must wield with integrity and precision.What should our readers know about your business?
Black Oak Society is a collective of Black creatives in and around Raleigh, North Carolina. Our mission is to “give Black Raleigh her flowers now.” Like many cities our size, Raleigh is rapidly gentrifying, forcing many of our elders and business owners to move away and destroying many of the Black community’s sacred spaces and structures. At Black Oak Society, we gather emerging and established Black writers, poets, painters, photographers, and everyone in between to uplift the people and stories of our community before they fall into obscurity. The main engine for our stories is BOS Zine, a twice-yearly literary journal that displays our best work from the collective. As we work together, we build relationships with one another for support and for resource-sharing. These include hosting workshops and collaborative work sessions, as well as events that allow us to have fun and be our full selves. Finally, we seek to build power and become advocates for our community. While we acknowledge that artists often come into Black communities backed by government or corporate money to extract culture from our people, we seek to add our voices and influence to theirs and support the causes they hold dear. We just celebrated our one year anniversary in December of 2020, and we have learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. But we have also made exciting gains, and have built strong relationships as a collective and with other local arts and activist organizations. The thing I really want the world to know about Black Oak Society is that it was and still is a community effort. Our supporters and patrons are just as important to Black Oak Society as the artists themselves. Those that we write stories about become family. And when the community needs a cause lifted up, we are right there to shine a spotlight on it. We know we are nothing with our the backing of Raleigh’s Black community. As Black Oak Society grows, building trusting relationships with the Black communities we serve will always be foundational to our success.Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A Dream (Post-Pandemic) Girl’s Trip would begin at The Store, a gorgeous home turned boutique hotel that would be our landing pad for the week. I don’t like to over-plan a trip, because I love to be spontaneous. There are however a few must-see places that are on my list. Eat: 1. I’m a big fan of sushi, and O-Ku Sushi is one of the best spots in town. 2. Poole’s Diner is James Beard award-winning Ashley Christiansen’s flagship restaurant and they have some of the best food in the state, not just the city. 3. ORO is a swanky, sexy, high-end restaurant chef-owner Chris Hylton. Everything is delicious, and you feel like your on the set of “Girlfriends” while you’re there. Drink: 1. Juiced Smoothie and Juice Bar is a Black-owned wellness shop in Southeast Raleigh. The owner, Malaika Kashaka creates delectable, vegan smoothies, as well as healthy snacks and treats. Juiced also carries therapeutic supplements, herbs, and teas, and Kashaka is equipped with the knowledge to help you select the right item to help relieve your ailments. 2. Fox Liquor Bar is another one of Ashley Christiansen’s establishments. I’m a sucker for a fancy cocktail, and you can’t get much fancier than Fox 3. Centro is THE place for margaritas. The atmosphere is beautiful, the staff are super friendly, and the drinks are not too sweet and a bit on the strong side, a perfect recipe for a girl’s night out! Visit: 1. John Chavis Memorial Park: Chavis Park was originally the “Negro Park” — an amusement park built in the 1930s to segregate Black residents from nearby Pullen Park. Despite it’s origins, Chavis Park became a deeply loved place where people would dance in the summer, listen to the Shaw University marching band, and play baseball. There is also a beautiful original carousel that is still fully functional and will surely make you feel like a kid again. 2. CAM Raleigh is the city’s contemporary arts museum. The exhibitions are always exciting and unconventional, displaying work from both established and emerging artists of all backgrounds. 3. Black Farmer’s Market: The Black Farmer’s Market is not just a place to find some really of the freshest produce anywhere in the city, it is also just a joyous experience. A DJ is playing family reunion-favorites, the fashion on display is incredible, and the food trucks are delectable (make sure Bon Fritay, featuring Haitian cuisine, is there. They do not disappoint!)Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are two women who knew I was a journalist before I did, and made it their mission to get me where I am today. I met Quanta Monique Edwards and Mrs. Kernodle-Hodges at an Affordable Housing roundtable hosted by the city of Raleigh in 2019. We were all there as concern citizens who wanted to learn more about how the city would approach our current housing crisis, and the three of us gravitated to each other and started a conversation. When they asked what I did, I mentioned wanted to start writing professionally, and they believed in me immediately. Since then they have offered me resources, mentored me, supported the start of Black Oak Society and have written for my publication, BOS Zine. They have essentially been my biggest cheerleaders from day one, because they were there on day one! I’m so thankful for them both and for their support.

Website: www.blackoaksociety.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/blackoaksociety

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/courtney-napier

Twitter: www.twitter.com/shehaswords

Facebook: www.facebook.com/blackoaksociety