🏊🏾♀️ Took the plunge at Mer-Magicon 2025! From teaching mermaid history to gaining water cred, it was an inspiring journey. Catch the full adventure on my podcast and see why mermaiding is more than just a passion—it's a lifestyle! 💦
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Events Mentioned
My Assistant
Previous Shows Mentioned
Black Mermaid Events Recap and My Tips for Attending Mermaid Cons
From Tahitian dance gigs to enchanting mermaid conventions, March has been a whirlwind! 🌟🎶 Dive into my Merwomanist Podcast for a magical reading wrap-up and preview of #MerMagicCon adventures. ✈️
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Books Reviewed
Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Sue Lynn Tan
The Broken Kingdom, N.K. Jemisin
Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano
Damsel, Evelyn Skye
Once Upon a Prom, Kat Cho
Events Mentioned
https://mermagic-con.com/
Happy New Year! Join me as I discuss my academic and creative goals for this upcoming year; from book drafts to content creation plans—discover what's on my 2025 agenda and share your own goals!
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Books Mentioned
The Black Girl Survives This One edited by Desiree S. Evans
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemison
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Gregory Maguire, Wicked
Stephen Schwartz & Winnie Holzman, Wicked
John Chu, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked
Previous Episodes Mentioned:
Replay: Dragons, Mermaids, and Diverse Casting
Mermaid Horror Films
She Creature by Sebastian Gutierrez
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Previous Episodes Referenced
Blackoween and Mertober TBR: Mami Melusine Reads
Black Mermaid Horror Films: The Lake and Erzulie
Mami Melusine Watches-Mermaid Horror Films
Nikyatu Jusu's Nanny-Mami Wata Onscreen
Other References
H.P. Lovecraft, Dagon and Shadow of Insmouth
Some accessible info on Nazism and Eugenics: "How American Racism Influenced hitler"
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Episodes Referenced:
Blackoween:
Loc’D Booktician Booktube Channel
In this video you will find a full explanation of Blackoween, the reader levels and locations and prompts, and links to the Toulah’s Parrish map, discord, etc.
Books Reviewed:
Jessica Cage, Siren’s Test
(Rec for Blackoween prompts: SheShe’s Kitchen: Spicy paranormal by Black woman)
Monica Brashears, House of Cotton
(Rec for Blackoween prompts: Bayou Haunted House: House or estate in the title and Haunted house set in the South; St. Tremaine’s Graveyard: Of the Night Vibes & book with ancestral knowledge)
Sarah Daas, It Waits in the Forest
(Rec for Blackoween prompts: St. Tremaine’s Graveyard: book where a deal is made, murder mystery with multiple point of views, and book with ancestral knowledge)
Donyae Coles, Midnight Rooms
(Rec for SheShe’s Kitchen: spooky historical romance, Joe’s Library: historical reference, St. Tremaine’s Graveyard: book where a deal is made, Bayou Haunted House: free space)
Tananarive Due, The Reformatory
(Rec for Bayou Haunted House: House or estate in the title, Haunted house set in the South, Ghosts Reside over the House; St. Tremaine’s Graveyard: Book where a deal is made, Murder with multiple POVs, and Book with ancestral knowledge; Joe’s Library: Book with historical reference and crime fiction)
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Blackoween:
Loc’D Booktician Booktube Channel
In this video you will find a full explanation of Blackoween, the reader levels and locations and prompts, and links to the Toulah’s Parrish map, discord, etc.
Books Mentioned:
Monica Bradhears, House of Cotton
Tananarive Due, The Reformatory
Sarah Daas, It Waits in the Forest
Liselle Sandsbury, Delicious Monsters
Brandon Massey, Black thriller writer
Stephen Graham Jones, The Only Good Indians
Stephen Graham Jones, The Last Final Girl
Donyae Coles, Midnight Rooms
Kinitra Brooks, Linda D. Addison, and Walidah Imarisha (eds), Sycorax’s Daughters
Desiree Evans and Saracica J. Fennell (eds), The Black Girl Survives in This One
Jordan Peele (editor), Out There Screaming
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Books Reviewed:
Gabi Burton Drown me with Dreams
Written Reviews:
My Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Books Reviewed:
Gabi Burton Sing me to Sleep
Written Reviews:
My Website and Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Books Reviewed:
Other Mentions:
My Written Reviews:
On this episode, we wrap-up my final thoughts and suggestions for black mermaid short stories!
Books
Correction:
I said that the Black mermaid/water story anthology edited by Sheree Renée Thomas was called Tales from the Deep. It is actually called Trouble the Waters and is edited by Shree Renée Thomas, Pan Morigan, and Troy L. Wiggins.
Stories Discussed:
“Shift” in Nalo Hopkinson’s Report from Planet Midnight
“The Living Infinite” in Nana Nkweti’s Walking on Cowrie Shells
“Scales” in Kinitra Brooks (editor) Sycorax’s Daughters
Erin E. Adams, “Lasiren”
On this weeks episode, I give my mid-season review of House of Dragons!
My Website and Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Show Reviewed: Season Two of House of the Dragon on HBO
Correction: At one point I say Oscar Tully saying “Oh Dear!” during the gathering of the houses of the Riverlands, what I really meant was Simon Strong said “Oh Dear!”
Welcome back, merfolk! On this mini-episode, I give my brief review of various black middle grade fantasy books that I loved and recommend.
My Mermaid Research: Jalondra Davis' engaged scholar project
My podcast episode about YA Fantasy, "Mami Melusine Reads Tracy Deonn's Legendborn Cycle and My Thoughts on Black YA Fantasy"
Books Mentioned:
Jewell Parker Rhodes, Bayou Magic
Jewell Parker Rhodes, Ninth Ward
B.B. Alston, Amari and the Night Brother
Justina Ireland, Ophie's Ghosts
Tracey Baptiste, The Jumbies
Karen Strong, Eden Everdark
I also mentioned, in comparison to some aspects of Amari and the Night Brother, Tracy Deonn's Legendborn, discussed on my previous episode.
On this episode, I review Tracey Deon's Legendborn Cycle and give my take on Black, young adult fantasy.
My Website and Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Tracy Deon’s Legendborn and Bloodmarked
Natasha Bowen’s Skin of the Sea
Bethany Morrow’s Song Below Water
B.B. Alston’s Amari and the Night Brothers
Videos
Youtube Video: W.O.C. Reader, “Done with the Legendborn Series”
Join me as I give my mid-season review on House of Dragons, speaking more broadly about race and fantasy and my views on this season thus far.
Season 1 Mid-Season Review
Media Mentions:
Game of Thrones
House of Dragons
My Website and Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
This episode is about race and fantasy more broadly. I use my thoughts on Episode 7 of Dance of the Dragons, "Driftwood" and the Freeform mermaid show Siren to think (and rant) out loud about race, settler colonialism, casting, and fantasy fandoms. This is a different one so hope that folks enjoy. We'll be back more to mermaids in the next one!
My Research on Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Mermaids
My Review of Skin of the Sea in Los Angeles Review of Books
Caveats and corrections: My comments on Dance of Dragons are meant only to talk about Aemond as a character and not about the actor who plays him. I know the difference between fantasy characters and real life children. The Sharma sisters on season 2 of Bridgerton are Indian-British. I identified them as Southeast Asian but I like to use the most specific descriptors of identity and nationality when known.
Terms Used:
settler colonialism: a form of colonization in which the incoming settlers seek to not only control and extract resources from a colony but displace and replace the original inhabitants of the land
Media Mentions:
Game of Thrones
Dance of Dragons
Bridgerton
Hamilton
Rodger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1998) (There were earlier film versions of the musical)
Siren
Shoutouts:
Book Mentions:
Nalo Hopkinson's The New Moon's Arms
Rivers Solomon's The Deep
N.K. Jemison's The Stone Sky , Book 3 of The Broken Earth Trilogy
Natasha Bowen's Skin of the Sea
On this episode, we recap Afro-Mermaid Summit and I give you my main tips for travelling and attending mermaid conventions!
My Website and Mermaid Research
https://jalondradavis.com/#scholar
Recent Article on Black Mermay (talks about Black Mermay Day, “swimming mermaids,” and Afro Mermaid Summit)
https://asapjournal.com/node/our-mermaid-craze-my-mermay-and-the-black-mermaid-renaissance/
https://www.instagram.com/blackmermay/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1667508080126562/
https://www.afromermaid.co/thesummit
Black Mermay Day
Afro Mermaid Summit
Welcome back, merfolk! Your host Mami Melusine, known in academic circles as Dr. Jalondra A. Davis, is here with another immersive episode. Today's guest is, the phenomenal Carrie Wata, founder of the Afro Mermaid Summit. Join us as we plunge into the deep blue of Carrie's captivating journey, from her bond with water during her Florida childhood to the birth of her transformative Afro Mermaid concept—a unique blend of African spirituality, physical wellness, and environmental awareness for Black women.
We'll be swimming through the enriching experiences of the annual Afro Mermaid Summit, exploring its empowering storytelling sessions and the enchanting allure of beach activities, all designed to cultivate unity, body positivity, and self-love. As we navigate the currents, we'll uncover the significance of diverse mermaid imagery, the profound connection between Black women and water, and how this movement forges a resilient sense of community. Prepare to submerge into the intriguing depths of the Afro Mermaid universe, my delightful merfolk! Let's make some waves!
In this replay episode I talk about my personal mermaiding journey, the mermaid lore that inspires my mersona, and what my platform is all about.
Cover Art:
Photo by Natasha Gumbs Art
My Mermaid Research:
Article that most addresses topics in this episode (African Indigenous Religions, Mami Wata): Crossing Merfolk Narratives of the Sacred. The bibliography also has a lot of sources that you can check out!
Other Sources Referenced and Cited:
Ytasha Womack, Afrofuturism, The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture
Lesley Braun, "Tales from the Congo River: Catching Mami Wata"
Multiple Authors/Unknown, One Thousand and One Nights, or Arabian Nights
Christina Baccchilega & Marie Alohalani Brown, editors, The Penguin Book of Mermaids, "The Legend of Melusina"
Texts Mentioned:
Beyonce, Lemonade
Freeform, Siren
Nalo Hopkinson, The New Moon's Arms
Mermaid Shoutouts:
April Kalen Campbell (My pole teacher who introduced me to mermaiding)
Other Business Shoutouts:
Conrad Cooper, Swim To Me (My swim teacher!)
