Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
I’WORK TITLE: I’m Judging You
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1985
WEBSITE: http://luvvie.org/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://luvvie.org/ * http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/ * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luvvie_Ajayi * http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/luvvie-ajayi-is-judging-us-all-in-her-new-book-and-were-thankful-for-it_us_57dae881e4b08cb140945a5b * https://www.linkedin.com/in/luvvie/ * http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-luvvie-ajayi-im-judging-you-balancing-0913-20160913-column.html
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1985, Nigeria; immigrated to the United States, c. 1994.
EDUCATION:University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduated 2006.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, activist, culture critic, digital strategist, and public speaker. The Red Pump Project, Chicago, IL, cofounder, 2009; creator and editor-in-chief of the blog Awesomely Techie. Also taught classes in several countries, including Egypt, South Africa, and Haiti.
AWARDS:
Social Media Award, Women’s Media Center, for humorous commentary on pop culture and gender and racial justice; Influencer of the Year, Iris Awards, 2016.
WRITINGS
Author of the blog Awesomely Luvvie. Former contributing editor and columnist for theGrio Web site. Contributor to periodicals, including Ebony, Clutch magazine, and Uptown magazine.
I’m Judging You is being adapted into a comedy television series by Shondaland.
SIDELIGHTS
Born in Nigeria, Luvvie Ajayi moved to Chicago, Illinois, with her family when she was nine years old. A writer, digital strategist, and blogger, she created the humor blog Awesomely Luvvi right after graduating from college. The blog, which garners about 500,000 readers a month, focuses not only on pop culture but also on race, travel, politics, and whatever other topics Ajayi is thinking about. “This voice is actually me in real life,” Ajayi told NPR: National Public Radio Web site contributor Michel Martin, adding: “This is who I am. This is who’s at brunch and who is kicking it randomly at home.”
Ajayi, who worked in marketing, is the creator of the Awesomely Techie Web site, which focuses on digital technology, providing social media and business tips, blogging resources, and gadget reviews. She is also cofounder of the Red Pump Project, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. Ajayi has received widespread recognition for her work as a culture critic and activist, including being selected in 2016 to Oprah Winfrey’s inaugural Supersoul100 list.
In her first book, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, Ajayi presents a series of humorous essays prodding readers to be better people while providing commentary on how people are obsessed with fame and have made social media too important in their lives. According to Ajayi, she got the idea for her book when someone plagiarized her work on Twitter. “When I called him out on it, he was like ‘oh I didn’t now I wasn’t supposed to do that,’” Ajayi noted in an interview with NBC News Web site contributor Adrienne Samuels Gibbs, adding: “I literally tweeted: Is there a manual on how not to [plagiarize]? It was a light bulb moment.” Ajayi went on to tell Gibbs: “I wanted this book to be a version of my blog on steroids. It’s all brand new information, but it’s true to my voice.”
Ajayi’s exeperience with the plagiarizer got her to thinking about how bad behavior seemed to be growing in modern society, especially in the digital world. As a result, Ajayi places the idea of behaving better as the central premise of the essays in I’m Judging You. Ajayi addresses a number of things that she considers to be bad behavior, from relatively benign bad manners to serious issues such as racism and violence. “Contrary to what the title of the book suggests, Ajayi isn’t casting her judgments on us without taking a long look in the mirror first,” noted Holly VanWert, writing for the Woman Tribune Web site. VanWert went on to point out that in the first chapter Ajayi addresses her own failures, including her tendency to always be late.
I’m Judging You is broken up into four sections titled “Life,” “Culture,” “Social Media,” and “Fame.” Overall, she addresses a variety of topics, including issues of self-esteem and personal appearance and her interest in the LGBTQ community and how religion is often misused to dehumanize this community. Although she stresses better behavior in every aspect of life, including how people behave with their partners and friends, she especially is interested in better behavior in the digital world. Writing in I’m Judging You, Ajayi notes: “Here is where I dole out shade, side-eye, and basic-but-necessary advice for the needy—the logic-deficient who consistently come up short in this new world order of 140-character opinions, Facebook beefs, Instagram groupies, and pop-culture idolization, i.e., the wasteland, where common sense has tragically become the rarest flower in the thought garden.”
In the book’s epilogue, “Do Something That Matters,” Ajayi talks about the importance of trying to make a difference in the world. “The book has a strong social message and is funny,” noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. Valerie Hawkins, writing for Booklist, noted the book’s “astute and timely advice, wittily presented.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Ajayi, Luvvie, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, Henry Holt and Company, 2016.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2016, Valerie Hawkins, review of I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, p. 14.
Publishers Weekly, July 4, 2016, review of I’m Judging You, p. 56.
Xpress Reviews, September 30, 2016, Meagan Lacy, review of I’m Judging You.
ONLINE
Douglas Review, http://thedouglasreview.com/ (January 5, 2017), review of I’m Judging You.
Glamour Online, http://www.glamour.com/ (February 7, 2017), Karen Brill, “Shondaland Is Adapting Luvvie Ajayi’s I’m Judging You into a Comedy Series.”
Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ (September 15, 2016), Lilly Workneh, “Luvvie Ajayi Is Judging Us All in Her New Book and We’re Thankful for It.”
Luvvie Ajayi Home Page, http://luvvie.org (March 28, 2017).
Luvvie Ajayi Web Log, http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com (March 28, 2017).
NBC News Web site, http://www.nbcnews.com/ (September 13, 2016), Adrienne Samuels Gibbs, “Author Luvvie Ajayi on Life and Her New Book: I’m Judging You.
NPR: National Public Radio Web site, http://www.npr.org/ (September 18, 2016), Michel Martin, “Blogger Luvvie Ajai Is Judging You with Her New Book,” author interview.
Woman Tribune, http://womantribune.com/ (October 14, 2016), Holly VanWert, “Luvvie Ajayi Knows We Can Do Better, and She’s Giving Us the Tools with I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.”
LC control no.: n 2016020198
Descriptive conventions:
rda
Personal name heading:
Ajayi, Luvvie
Variant(s): Ajayi, Lovette
Found in: I'm judging you, 2016: ECIP t.p. (Luvvie Ajayi) galley
(Lovette Ajayi)
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Luvvie Ajayi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luvvie Ajayi (born 1985) is the author of New York Times best-seller I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.[1]
Early life
Ajayi was born in Nigeria; she moved to Chicago with her family when she was nine. She attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, then the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying psychology.[2]
Career
Ajayi began her career in marketing and digital strategy, and started blogging 2003. Her site AwesomelyLuvvie.com amassed a following particularly for Ajayi's recaps of television shows like Scandal, drawing the attention of Scandal showrunner Shonda Rhimes.[3] In 2016, The New York Times reported that Ajayi had approximately 500,000 between her personal Twitter feed and the Awesomely Luvvie website.[4]
Ajayi published her first book, I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, with Henry Holt & Co in September 2016, and debuted at number five on the New York Times best-seller list.[4] Ajayi has said the inspiration for the book came after she learned a journalist had plagiarized several paragraphs of her writing—and when confronted, he said he was unaware he should have credited her work.[3] Consequently, a "return to ethics—a return to a higher level of behavior for oneself and others—becomes the central idea of Ajayi’s book," in The Root's description, but the "collection of witty essays is less about pointing fingers and more about building a positive, healthy self and society."[5] The Chicago Tribune called the book "whip-smart, take-no-prisoners hilarious."[2] Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers have acquired I'm Judging You to adapt as a cable comedy series through their company Shondaland and ABC Signature.[6]
In 2016, Ajayi was the first writer invited to speak at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and her event sold out.[4]
BLACK VOICES 09/15/2016 06:27 pm ET | Updated Sep 17, 2016
Luvvie Ajayi Is Judging Us All In Her New Book And We’re Thankful For It
“I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual” isn’t meant to harm feelings, it aims to help people live their best lives.
By Lilly Workneh
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
Luvvie Ajayi poses for a portrait at the HuffPost office with her new book, “I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.”
1.8k
Luvvie Ajayi has a way with words that is so impressive, she has been praised by queens in media like Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay and Shonda Rhimes.
In fact, all three are fans of her first published book, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, which was released everywhere on Tuesday, and they’re far from the only ones. Just ask Ajayi’s personal fan base, collectively known as LuvvNation, who have been eagerly anticipating the release.
The book, which reflects Ajayi’s spunky personality and hilarious commentary, documents her thoughts on everything from her personal take on serious issues like racism and sexism to her everyday pet peeves like the obnoxious use of hashtags. No matter the case, Ajayi said she’s judging us all for the shameful decisions we make but encourages us to rest assured because she’s here to help us do better.
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“I want people to walk away from this book understanding that you always have some type of way to do better,” Ajayi told HuffPost during a Facebook Live interview on Wednesday. “There are very key ways that we can leave this world a little bit better than when we found it. This book will make you laugh while you’re thinking through some of the stuff.”
Ajayi split the book into four separate sections, each with its own collection of stories and lessons: Life, Culture, Social Media and Fame.
“I had a brainstorm session with myself and ended up with this strong list of topics and the strongest 24 topics ended up in the book,” Ajayi explained.
Each chapter focuses on a different issue and is identified by hilarious titles like, “When Baehood Goes Bad,” and “Your Facebook Is My Favorite Soap Opera,” which Ajayi admits are two parts of the book she enjoyed writing the most. However, don’t be mistaken, the book isn’t meant to harm feelings ― it aims to help people live their best lives. Ajayi even calls out herself in the book for being guilty of many of the condemnable actions she writes about.
“I’m judging myself throughout the book, too. I am judge-worthy,” she says before a slight chuckle. “This book was a manual for me, too!”
However, Ajayi explained that inspiration from the book actually came about from an unfortunate event. She said, years ago, a journalist had plagiarized three paragraphs of her work that had been flagged to her attention by her fans. In reaction, Ajayi tweeted out her anger and eventually received a response from the culprit who, she said, didn’t know that he should have given her credit for her work.
“In my head, I was like, ‘That’s the book I’m supposed to write,’” she said, after writing the tweet above. “It was a literal lightbulb moment... That’s what became I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.”
Ajayi, who previously worked as a marketing and digital strategist, began blogging in 2003 and launched her popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, shortly after. She quickly amassed a significant following of readers by writing and sharing articles on anything she was compelled to write about, which included everything from juicy recaps of “Scandal” to thoughtful pieces on politics, fashion and music.
“’Scandal’ made a huge difference in my blog’s growth,” she explained. “[Readers] found me for my ‘Scandal’ recaps, but they stayed for my other things.”
The show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, has even shared Ajayi’s work multiple times on social media, including her support for the new book.
“[The book] is my blog on steroids,” Ajayi said. “It’s 240-pages of my voice in its true form and at it’s best.”
I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual is now available for purchase here.
NYTimes Best-Selling Author. Speaker. Red Pump Rocker. Techie. Professional Troublemaker.
Luvvie Haircut Avatar SmallerI am a Wacky Wordsmith. Pop Culture PrimaDonna. Side-Eye Sorceress. Witch of Wit. Dynamic Digerati with a Superior Shoe Game. Admirer of Alliteration.
But you can also call me Luvvie. I think the day the Good Lord was giving out sense, couth and good behavior, I missed it because I fell asleep after I went back for a second bowl of rice.
My first book (I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do Better Manual) was published in September 2016 and was an instant NYTimes best-seller. It’s basically a book where I tell everyone to get their shit together, and you should order it!
My loves include fierce shoes, blazers, traveling, technology and everything red velvet!
I’ve been blogging for 13 years, since MySpace was still cool and Geocities didn’t make us cackle. Remember the AOL yellow dude? He was still running and pinging loudly when I started this thing. If you don’t remember him, you can’t sit with us! (-__-)
This blog is where I talk about all things pop culture, from TV to social media to travel to race and whatever else is in my little shadeful heart at the moment. I thoroughly enjoy doling out side-eyes and there is never a shortage of people and foolishness to judge. Trust me.
I’m the person who says what you’re thinking but might be afraid to. I also use a lot of made up words and slangs because sometimes, what exists doesn’t quite cut it. My glossary of terms is proof. Get familiar.
And I’m a noted speaker, host, ambassador and digital strategist, helping folks figure out how to use the web strategically (not just to loiter and take selfies). I have spoken at some cool places, like The White House, and I’ve taught classes in several countries (like Egypt, South Africa, Haiti). Check out my tech blog Awesomely Techie for resources, tips and tutorials on all things digital! Also, book me to speak at your conference, college, or business. Coolest thing that’s happened recently? I interviewed Oprah Winfrey and she grabbed my head, so now we go together.
Oprah Grabs Luvvie's Head
My passion for social justice and my love of shoes resulted in me founding The Red Pump Project along with my girl, Karyn of The Fabulous Giver. It’s a national nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. It’s my key into Heaven, to negate all the foolishness of this blog. That’s what I tell myself anyway. Red Pump is 7 years old now (March 2009 is when we lifted off).
But really, I just want to laugh, travel, eat rice and save the world while rocking cute shoes.
I’m glad you found this place on the interwebs and now, you won’t be able to quit it. Take off your coat and stay awhile!
Luvvie Ajayi is a New York Times best-selling author, speaker and digital strategist who thrives at the intersection of comedy, technology and activism.
A thirteen-year blogging veteran, she is the voice behind Awesomely Luvvie, a widely-respected humor blog that covers everything pop culture – from TV, movies and technology to travel, race and life’s random adventures.
It was her blog that inspired Luvvie’s debut book, I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do-Better Manual, which was released in September 2016, and instantly hit the New York Times best-seller’s list. It is a collection of essays that critiques our fame-obsessed, social media-centric lives, while encouraging us to do better. The book is the good, yet snarky, angel on your shoulder, in word form.
luvvie-ajayi-book-1The drive to leave the world better than she found it is the foundation of her work with The Red Pump Project. In 2009, she partnered with Karyn Brianne Lee to create The Red Pump Project, a nonprofit that raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. As Executive Director, she leads the national executive team and network of ambassadors in four states. Red Pump’s work has earned them a Congressional Record from the U.S. House of Representatives and Resolutions by the Illinois State Senate as well as the City Council of Chicago. They’ve been featured on the Huffington Post, in EBONY Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, A&U Magazine, NBC and more.
Luvvie’s work as a culture critic and activist has brought her much acclaim. She was selected as a part of Oprah Winfrey’s inaugural Supersoul100 list in 2016, as someone who “elevates humanity.” She was voted as the Influencer of the Year at the 2016 Iris Awards and was chosen as a 2015 Black Innovator by XFINITY Comcast. She is also a past winner of the Women’s Media Center’s Social Media Award for using her voice and humor for pop culture critique and gender and racial justice.
Luvvie was a former contributing editor and columnist for TheGrio, wrote Scandal recaps for Vulture, and has written for EBONY, Clutch Magazine and Uptown Magazine. She has been featured by ESSENCE, Good Housekeeping, Chicago Sun-Times, Africa.com, AOL.com, Black Enterprise, The Root, BET and more.
Luvvie Venn Diagram copyA sought-after speaker, host and correspondent, Luvvie leverages her background in marketing, communications and new media to present on topics related to blogging, branding, nonprofits, activism and humor. She has interviewed bosses like Oprah Winfrey, Geena Davis, Gloria Steinem and Shonda Rhimes. The alum of the University of Illinois has also spoken on several notable stages in the U.S. and around the world. They include: The White House, TedXColumbiaCollege, SXSW, Social Media Week (Nigeria, South Africa), U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince (Haiti) Techne Summit (Egypt), National Association of Black Journalists Conference, Nonprofit Technology Conference, SAG/AFTRA Broadcast Conference, among others.
She is the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Awesomely Techie, a resource site for writers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, small business owners and everyday people who want to use technology to make their work and personal lives more efficient.
Her love language is shoes. Her superpower is her side-eye.
P.S. “Ajayi” is pronounced just like it’s spelled. AH-JAH-YEE.
Luvvie Ajayi is an award-winning writer, pop culture critic, and professional troublemaker who thrives at the intersection of comedy, technology and activism. She is the person who often says what you're thinking but dared not to because you have a filter and a job to protect. She is also a digital strategist, noted speaker and Executive Director of The Red Pump Project, a national HIV/AIDS organization.
An alum of the University of Illinois, Luvvie is a noted speaker on topics related to blogging, branding, digital marketing, nonprofit communications and activism. She’s presented at numerous colleges and conferences including: The White House, SXSW, TEDxColumbiaCollege Chicago, Social Media Week (Chicago, Lagos and Johannesburg), Altitude Summit, SAG/AFTRA Broadcast Conference, amongst others. She also runs AwesomelyTechie.com, a resource site for writers, small business owners and everyday people looking to use technology to make their lives easier as an extension of her marketing expertise.
Shondaland Is Adapting Luvvie Ajayi's I'm Judging You Into a Comedy Series
By
Karen Brill
February 7, 2017 4:19 pm
Shonda Rhimes' utter domination of your DVR is set to continue with the latest Shondaland series in production. The TV mogul has acquired the rights to Luvvie Ajayi's book I'm Judging You: The Do Better Manual.
I'm Judging You is a hilarious collection of essays that aims to help people who are bad at life be, you guessed it, less bad. (It's divided into sections on life, culture, social media, and fame.) The tone makes the project a new direction for Rhimes, who is obviously better known for shows with breathtaking melodramatics and gutting monologue moments than gut-busting laughs. In addition to being Shondaland's first comedy, the I'm Judging You series would also make for a more mature show than the usual Shondaland fare (not that assassinations and treason and whatever new depraved twists Scandal has got going on this week count as child's play). The adaptation is being planned as a cable series, suggesting less family-friendly content ahead. Thus, it won't join the likes of Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, and Grey's Anatomy for TGIT on Shondaland's home base of ABC, though the show will still be produced through ABC productions.
Ajayi also has a great story as to how she caught the eye of Shonda Rhimes, and it should serve as an inspiration to Shonda devotees everywhere. According to Deadline, Rhimes became aware of Ajayi thanks to Ajayi's elaborate Scandal recaps on her blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com (somewhere, a freelance writer has bowed down his or her head in silent prayer). Even before getting the rights to I'm Judging You, Rhimes shared her praise of it, tweeting that she "loved" the work.
So a lesson to you all: Losing your mind over Shondaland shows is a good idea. At best, you'll get a TV series of your very own, and at worst, well, you were going to do it anyway.
< Blogger Luvvie Ajayi Is Judging You With Her New Book September 18, 20165:21 PM ET 5:56 Download Facebook Twitter Google+ Email MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: If you follow the television show "Scandal" and even if you don't, you may have come across the hilarious recaps of the show by blogger Luvvie Ajayi. For her longtime fans, those columns, which even caught the eye of "Scandal" show-runner Shonda Rhimes, were just the on-ramp to Luvvie Ajayi's popular humor blog Awesomely Luvvie. Born in Nigeria raised in Chicago, Luvvie riffs on everything from NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision not to stand for the national anthem to why people need to leave first daughter Malia Obama alone. Now Luvvie is upping her game with her first book. It's just out. It's called "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual." It includes much pointed advice about upping your game on everything from why you need to leave that bad boo alone to snappy retorts to people who ask stupid questions about Africa and much else. And Luvvie Ajayi is with us now from our bureau in New York. Welcome. Thank you so much for joining us. LUVVIE AJAYI: I'm so excited to be here. MARTIN: And I'm a little nervous that you're judging me. (LAUGHTER) MARTIN: So how did you start blogging? How did you come up with that voice? AJAYI: So I started blogging in 2003 when I was in college, and then when I graduated from college in 2006, I started what is now awesomelyluvvie.com where I was talking about pop culture, race, travel, politics and shenanigans - whatever I felt like talking about. This voice is actually me in real life. This is who I am. This is who's at brunch and who is kicking it randomly at home. That's how it became a thing. MARTIN: What do you think it is that people are responding to? AJAYI: People love my voice because they say I say what they were thinking, but dare not to say because they had a filter or a job. I am the best friend in their head who happens to be the good angel on their shoulder, but is saying all the things that they were like, oh, I probably shouldn't say that. And I said it for them, and they're like thank you. MARTIN: But it's not gratuitous meanness. AJAYI: Right. MARTIN: I just want to be clear. That is not you. You have a particular - it's not just that you're judging people, but you really do want them to do better. Right? AJAYI: Yeah. You know, I'm judging people, and I'm judging myself along the way. But I think really what I'm saying is in general in my voice and what it really is about is I'm basically the conscience, the conscience who's very self-aware because I understand that I'm also not perfect. MARTIN: There's some very poignant biographical information here that, you know, I did not even know, even though I'm a close reader of you. There's a chapter called Zamunda is Not a Country Neither is Africa, and you talk about being this little girl who coming here at the age of 9 growing up in Nigeria where you wanted for nothing, raised to be proud of who you are, coming from a family that's well-known and very respected and then going all of a sudden to this being in the fifth grade in a new country, a new city where people are asking you all these crazy questions about Africa. Tell me about that. AJAYI: One thing I wanted to make sure was in this chapter especially is the impact of where I'm from and how it kind of shaped who I am today. So it was really good to start with that just to give people who have an idea of my perspective and why it really grinds my gears about the conversations we have about Africa. And I use myself as an example so people can actually put themselves in my shoes and also relate to somebody who they respect and like and understand how being othered as somebody who's African can affect you. I happen to push past it and learn to love my culture as a Nigerian, but a lot of people never do. It makes me want to make sure there's a 9 year old who's coming from Nigeria. She never has to feel embarrassed about where she came from. MARTIN: And let's get back to the fun, though - you're a social media historian. You said you saw that title on LinkedIn. AJAYI: (Laughter). MARTIN: But you also do give a lot of love advice, like for people to talk about - and I can't, unfortunately, because I'm not trying to lose my FCC license - I cannot get you to read the part where you kind of discuss with some women how their choices in some men need to improve and that they shouldn't be overly reliant on one particular quality. AJAYI: Yeah. MARTIN: You've got to read something for me just so people can get the flavor. AJAYI: I promise you, Michel. You will not lose your license. MARTIN: OK. AJAYI: (Reading) Who needs soap operas now when we have social media timelines? Now you can get a similar drama fix by just paying attention to your friends and family members' Facebook pages. It's "Days Of Our Lives" real life edition. I especially love that friend or several that we all have who keep everyone updated on their dating life like their writing Carrie Bradshaw's column. I refer to this person as the bleeding heart. They make social media interesting because they're the person who is in love with love but love might not love them that much. They're the ones who you might not have seen since you were in middle school together, but you can track their entire dating history including start and end dates just by going on their page. You can almost chart their cycles in dating because at this point, everyone sees the pattern but them. They're as predictable as the moon, but not as bright. MARTIN: Oh, my goodness (laughter). OK. Let me - now I have to ask. Now that you've got the book out, what now? Does it feel like an accomplishment like having like a physical book that you can download or put actually in your hands? I mean, does your mom now think, yes, you do have a job, Luvvie? (LAUGHTER) AJAYI: Right. I'm not just Tommy from "Martin." (LAUGHTER) AJAYI: It feels like a dream come true like I'm holding my dreams in my hands. It actually feels surreal because to be writing online for so long, writing a book was important because I wanted something that people could hold onto, but I have been asked what's next and I'm thinking - I was challenged that I should try stand-up comedy. MARTIN: I thought that's what you were doing. (LAUGHTER) MARTIN: Just sitting down doing it. (LAUGHTER) MARTIN: That was blogger Luvvie Ajayi. She is the author of "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual." It's her first book, and she was kind enough to join us from our bureau in New York City. Luvvie, thank you. AJAYI: Thank you so much.
Author Luvvie Ajayi on Life and her New Book: I’m Judging You
by Adrienne Samuels Gibbs
Luvvie Ajayi wants the simple things.
She wants you to recognize that Africa is a continent, not a country. She wants you to leave the bike-riding-only baes alone. She wants you to more fully consider why you share your intimate relationship details on Facebook but share nothing of your breakup.
Ajayi's new book, "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual," is humor writing at its best. But like most humor, it's also a truth serum tempered with the bite of laugh. She talks about everybody: late people, racist people, those scroogy people who dip off without paying when a big group of friends dines out at a restaurant.
Ajayi Luvvie
Antonio Thompson
And she offers help in the form of modern-day pop culture etiquette without the Miss Manners mannerisms. Ajayi, 31, started blogging in 2003. For fun. By 2010 she realized she make monetize her site and since then, her social media takedowns have become the stuff of legend.
Ajayi talked to NBCBLK about her book, her life and her giveback. Here's what else she had to say.
NBCBLK: You could have written a book out of any one of the chapters in "I'm Judging You." How did you approach your writing?
Luvvie Ajayi: I wanted this book to be a version of my blog on steroids. It's all brand new information, but it's true to my voice… just how on my blog any given day I might be talking about candy one day and racism the next. This book is the same. It's just way more organized. This was way more intentional. I thought I would write a book that covers all the topics I want people to do better in.
Where'd the idea come from?
I also got the idea for this book on Twitter, funnily enough. It came in 2014, when a quote unquote journalist plagiarized my work. And when I called him out on it, he was like 'oh I didn't now I wasn't supposed to do that." I literally tweeted: "Is there a manual on how not to [plagiarize]? It was a light bulb moment.
How'd you get that title? Did the publisher change it at all?
I'm judging you: I just felt like it was such a phrase that captured how I felt about people. I am judging them. When I came up with the idea, the outline and my proposal and all that stuff, I expected whoever I landed with to be like, 'oh, we can't call it that.' But they were like, 'yes!' that was the title from the beginning.
You are an equal opportunity judger. You even talk about Nigerians being late to everything. Has anyone gotten angry about that?
That's it, we can't even be mad. People are like they've been to a Nigerian event. You right. I saw it. I saw people not show up for four hours.
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You always write about real issues, some of them racial. But conventional wisdom tells us to shy away from tweeting or FBing "racial issues" because it might impact our job. How are you able to build a social brand business and still discuss racial issues at a time when many businesses shy away from race?
There is some credence to it. You see football players taking the knee and lose an endorsement. But I've had people tell me that part of what they like about my brand is I speak the truth and it makes me more of a whole person as oppose to others who are so brand conscious they only throw up brand guidelines. It's important to be a full person. You don't have to be a robot.
Your nonprofit, The Red Pump Project, raises awareness on HIV and AIDS. Why did you start it?
I think it's important for service to be a part of your life instead of an option. It's awesome to make it a point to do something that's gonna make the world slightly better than you left it. I started the Red Pump Project with a friend of mine and we both realized we were closer to the epidemic than we imagined. We hadn't heard about HIV since people stopped talking about Magic Johnson. Yet, even when women don't have it, we're the ones taking care of those who have it. And, black women are a hugely disproportionate number of new infections. That's what spurred us on to create the Red Pump Project.
What's it like to be social media famous?
I've reached a high profile enough to where sometimes I just don't want to leave the house because I just kind of want to get my brain back. I've reached the point where people text me randomly for favors, like 'hey can I pick your brain." People I haven't talked to in years are asking for favors. It's like "wow people really got some nerve."
Did you know, back when you created your first blog, that you would be doing this now?
It took me seven years to realize what I was doing was actually worth being paid for. I did the hard work but it's a bit of God's grace here too.
Your book had me chuckling, but a lot of it needed to be said. What do you hope your reader takes away?
I want them to do better and I want them to spread the word. I want to encourage people to actually speak up when it matters, even when it's tough. We need that person in the room.
Have people told you their favorite chapter?
When Baehood Goes Bad. That seems to be the crowd favorite.
Of course.
I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
263.27 (July 4, 2016): p56.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
Luwie Ajayi. Holt, $17 trade paper (256p) ISBN 978-1-62779-606-4
Ajayi, the voice behind the pop culture blog Awesomely Luwie and the cofounder of the Red Pump project, an HIV/AIDS awareness nonprofit, writes with humor and intelligence about a range of topics, including personal hygient, social media etiquette, racism, sex tapes, rape culture, plastic surgery, weight, homophobia, reality television, feminism, and even the Comic Sans font. The book is a light, 21st-century discussion of manners and morals, with Ajayi taking people to task for oversharing on social media or for being casually bigoted. The the book has a strong social message and is funny--Ajayi includes footnotes explaining her made-up words and expressions--but the material is a little too familiar and far reaching. Ajayi is at her best when she delves into her personal experiences as a Nigerian immigrant in the U.S. and combines humor with pathos; this honesty makes the book worth reading. Agent: Michael Harriot, Folio Literary Agency. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual." Publishers Weekly, 4 July 2016, p. 56. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA457302927&it=r&asid=1822ab7034f9477ecc8b836593a9967d. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A457302927
I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
Valerie Hawkins
112.21 (July 1, 2016): p14.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
* I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual. By Luvvie Ajayi. Sept. 2016. 256p. Holt, paper, $17 (9781627796064). 818.602.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Ajayi, known in the social-media sphere as Awesomely Luvvie after her blog, which attracts 500,000 readers a month, has crafted a smart, vividly humorous handbook for the social-media generation, which is all of us. Bold strokes make up her takes on acting right in life, culture, social media, and fame. Facebook, Instagram, and especially Twitter have granted everyone instant expression. Ajayi turns the mirror around so that we see the reflection of how these forms of instant, public expression affect us. It isn't pretty. Throughout the book, Ajayi seamlessly references news stories, pop-culture highlights, and phraseology made prominent on Twitter in order to explore their broader impact on a range of topics, including self-esteem and personal appearance, love relationships, racial attitudes, rape culture, and the misuse of religion to dehumanize the LGBTQ community. Ajayi, who emigrated from Nigeria as a child, also takes on America's shallow and dismissive perceptions of the African continent. And she calls out clickbait and hashtag abuse. Overall, her "do-better" calls for us to reclaim common sense, compassion, and critical thinking, in both personal and online interactions. Astute and timely advice, wittily presented.--Valerie Hawkins
YA/M: Older teens will appreciate the wisdom dispensed alongside Ajayi's snarky intelligence. VH.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hawkins, Valerie. "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual." Booklist, 1 July 2016, p. 14. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA459888886&it=r&asid=9d1e0ae5350738faf455d5e13fec911d. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A459888886
Ajayi, Luvvie. I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
Meagan Lacy
(Sept. 30, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Ajayi, Luvvie. I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual. Holt. Sept. 2016. 256p. ISBN 9781627796064. pap. $17; ebk. ISBN 9781627796071. HUMOR Aptly titled, this first book by blogger and pop culture critic Ajayi (AwesomelyLuvvie.com) examines some of the major problems threatening America today. From bad manners (online and otherwise) to racism and violence, Ajayi doesn't shy away from difficult topics. Rather, she takes them head-on, giving the "side-eye" or "throwing shade" whenever it is required. Born in Nigeria but raised mostly in the United States, the author uniquely frames and looks at these issues from both an insider's and outsider's perspective, giving voice to points of view that are often underrepresented (or not represented at all) in mainstream media conversations. She challenges assumptions and, in doing so, offers a much more complete picture of America to consider. Though at times readers may feel themselves shirking from her judgmental gaze, Ajayi doesn't hesitate to point the finger at herself as well, and she mostly succeeds at balancing criticism with wit and humor.
Verdict As a cultural observer, Ajayi calls to mind Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist. Although Gay is a more seasoned writer and meticulous researcher, Ajayi's voice is just as compelling. [See Prepub Alert, 3/14/16.]--Meagan Lacy, Guttman Community Coll., CUNY
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Lacy, Meagan. "Ajayi, Luvvie. I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual." Xpress Reviews, 30 Sept. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA469756616&it=r&asid=a234d14f5bc459551847c11ba83ad150. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A469756616
Luvvie Ajayi Knows We Can Do Better, and She’s Giving Us the Tools with ‘I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual’ — Review
Holly VanWert
October 14, 2016
“Did some of us get a limited edition handbook that others didn’t get? You know the one that gives instructions on how not to suck?”
That is the question Luvvie Ajayi tweeted on August 4, 2014 after discovering that a “journalist” had plagiarized her work. It is the same question she asks in the introduction of her new book, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.
We all have plenty of ideas about things we could do or should do every single day. Most of the time, we forget about them and move on with our lives. Ajayi, on the other hand, decided that she would be the one to bring that limited edition handbook to the masses.
I have been reading Ajayi’s hugely popular and widely-respected pop culture blog, Awesomely Luvvie, for years. I began my own blogging career in 2007 with a feminist and social justice website called Menstrual Poetry before eventually shifting my focus over here to Woman Tribune full-time. It was when I was a part of that niche that I first discovered Awesomely Luvvie. It has remained one of about a handful of blogs that I largely credit with keeping me entertained and enlightened.
I’m Judging You is a series of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digitally connected lives. Contrary to what the title of the book suggests, Ajayi isn’t casting her judgments on us without taking a long look in the mirror first. The first chapter of the first section of the book is a lengthy admission of perpetual lateness. When she proclaims that we are the worst, she is totally including herself. And she has suggestions for how we can all collectively do better.
I'm Judging You culture
This book is full of laugh out loud gems (“Behind every ain’t-good-for-nothing man are bedroom skills beyond measure.”) But there is also a time for serious conversations, and those take place in the Culture section.
Folks, this is the book we need. It is the book we deserve. Every side-eye and dose of shade — we had it coming. Every bit of it.
We are still having conversations about what an unarmed black person did to get themselves shot and killed. We are still asking what a woman was wearing to get herself raped. We are still arguing about whether two people who love each other should be allowed to get married or raise children. We are still explaining why street harassment isn’t flattering (“Girls are being sexualized by random toads and goats on the streets and told to smile about it.”) We are still legislating women’s bodies.
We can all do better. We should do better. We need to do better. We need to do the hard work and have the uncomfortable conversations. We need to be able to admit the harsh truths about ourselves and know when to laugh about it. We will be better off for it, and maybe we might even leave this world in better shape than how we found it.
When we know better, we do better, and Luvvie Ajayi is side-eyeing us until we do.
Buy ‘I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual’
I'm Judging You book banner
I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual is available now everywhere books are sold.
You can find Luvvie Ajayi at Awesomely Luvvie, on Facebook, and @Luvvie.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I’m Judging You” by Luvvie Ajayi
Luvvie Ajayi is a Nigerian-American author known for her brilliant insights into popular culture and human behavior, and for challenging readers to make the world a better place. Born in Nigeria in 1985, Ajayi came to the United States when she was nine years old. After studying psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ajayi embarked upon a career in marketing and digital strategy. However, after starting a blog in 2003, Ajayi began using her wit and fierce intelligence to connect with readers around the world.
Ajayi’s personal website, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, initially gained a following for insightful recaps of popular television shows, soon after which Ajayi seamlessly transitioned her writing onto other topics. Finally, in September of 2016, Ajayi published her first book. Entitled I’m Judging You, the debut text rocketed to the the fifth spot on the New York Times’ bestseller list. Interestingly, Ajayi felt inspired to write the book after suffering a professional slight. Ajayi discovered that an author somewhere had plagiarized a couple of paragraphs from her popular blog without providing any citations. After reaching out to the author to complain, the author responded he hadn’t felt it was necessary to provide a citation. This made Ajayi realize that bad behavior was becoming increasingly common in our digital world from America to Nigeria, and it was time somebody pushed back a little to challenge folks to be better.
In this way, I’m Judging You is literature that holds nothing back from the reader. Indeed, Ajayi prides herself on describing the world exactly as she sees it, and while she possesses a robust respect for others as fellow humans, she cheerfully puts others on notice that she doesn’t respect certain behaviors. At its heart, I’m Judging You is a stern, hilarious, and giddy challenge to be a better person and help make the world a better place.
Critics sided with pleased readers regarding Ajayi’s book. The book was praised by numerous social commentators, including the legendary television producer Shonda Rhimes. “This truth-riot of a book gives us everything from hilarious lectures on the bad behavior all around us to razor sharp essays on media and culture,” Rhimes wrote. “With I’m Judging You, Luvvie brilliantly puts the world on notice that she is not here for your foolishness ― or mine.” In other words, Ajayi succeeded in challenging bad behavior and offering cultural insights through literature.