Message from the President on the RWA Issue

A Statement from the 2020 STAR PRESIDENT

In light of recent events and the past events that continue to come to light in the RWA  breakdown, I, as the president of STAR, emphatically state STAR’s support of marginalized writers, authors, and industry professionals.

I know that trust in RWA has been broken, both by the actions taken by the RWA board, staff, and President and by the numerous other instances being reported of systemic bias within the organization, both obvious and insidious in nature.

However, I have hope that RWA can eventually change for the better, as does STAR’s  membership.  At our January 2020 meeting, the members of STAR decided to take a wait and see attitude to our affiliation with RWA with plans to revisit our affiliation again later in the year to see what steps are being taken to remove bias from the organization.

Meanwhile, I reaffirm my commitment to making our meetings and events safe, welcoming, and inclusive. Please know that I am always available to hear your questions and concerns. You can reach me via our contact form.

Joan Koster, 2020 President of STAR