Respecting Cultural Nuances to Connect Authentically with Abby West of Amistad Books

Jan 14

Abby West is VP Editorial Director at Amistad Books, the most respected and storied African-American imprint in publishing.

In this episode of Let's Talk Limbic Sparks, Abby reveals why respecting deep cultural nuances is crucial for brands to authentically connect with diverse audiences. She shares her personal journey from reporter to editorial director, and how she is increasingly aligning her work with her personal values.

We talk about the responsibility that brands leaders have when depicting a culture that they do not have direct experience with, and the impact of making someone feel like a transaction. Abby shares that people want to be seen, and how they will avoid brands that rely on a surface-level stereotypes, and are more invested in brands that demonstrate true understanding of their lived experiences.

Key Takeaways and Soundbites:

"There's cultural nuance that's not necessarily available everywhere."

"There's a tendency for many people, when they're writing about another culture to hit some top line notes that are pretty standard, either stereotypical or one note."

"I want to reflect all of those stories that show the various lived experiences and nuances, while reflecting the commonalities of what it means to walk as a black person in America."

"What resonates for you are things that are familiar. And what you're going for is the familiar in a true non-exploitive way. So in order to do that, you have to understand the space and take the time and energy. When you don't take that time and energy, it always shows."

"When you're able to have people connect and feel like your brand is tied to their personality or their life or their culture, they're more invested."

"A brand needs to make sure that their consumer, their audience, feels more than just like a transactional interaction."

Here are some fun facts about Abby…

Abby West is a journalist and digital content strategist whose career has taken her from reporter to editorial director. Prior to joining Amistad Books, a division of Harper Collins, as VP Editorial Director, she has worked with top brands such as People, Entertainment Weekly, Essence, and Audible. She’s covered everything from hard news to celebrity and entertainment, with an increasing focus on marrying digital presentations of live events with editorial packages. Her passion for digital extends from its ability to connect with audiences where they live these days — increasingly online, while still being able to tap into themes with universal resonance. Abby is driven by her enthusiasm to successfully take a compelling concept from ideation to execution, as she's demonstrated with numerous editorial and marketing projects.