About the Inclusive Romance Project

This project started after Kharma Kelley’s ongoing frustration with how the romance space kept proving time and time how it was struggling, or perhaps worse, oblivious to the harmful spaces that existed for romance writers of marginalized identities. Some of these spaces, though claiming to be inclusive and healthy, were allowing some members to exclude, insult and erase others. 

As a Black cis-het woman writing indie romance and fantasy, Kharma witnessed the consistent harm and lack of resources that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ authors experience in this industry and wanted to provide a space to grow. In a world where certain identities are considered the “majority” and the “norm”, other social identities such as the intersection of race, gender identity, ability, and sexuality are often excluded from focus and equity. 

She started a work-in-progress critique group, a Slack community and a mentorship program that pairs seasoned romance authors with fledgling writers. In an effort to offer more opportunities for learning, she is always in pursuit of programs, Q&A and presentations to help the members thrive.

Our Mission

We believe in the value of a unique voice as it reflects those of our readers. In this diverse ocean of talent, we seek to excel in the field of publishing, uplift fellow authors who struggle for visibility, and outreach to aspiring authors of marginalized identities in hopes to bring more amazing work to readers worldwide. Love is Love and we believe that everyone deserves an Happily Ever After. #representationmatters #ownvoices #WeNeedDiverseRomance