Dear Reader,
When I initially sat down to write Under the Neon Lights, I only knew that it’d be a novel about a skating rink closing due to gentrification. That the roller skating rink would be hailed as a third space–and a reminder that communities can’t function without third spaces. That hopefully, the main character, Jaelyn, would find love.
But this novel became so much more than that. I was two drafts in when the pandemic changed our entire world. That year, I hunkered down in my small Brooklyn apartment with three roommates who became friends and learned how to slow down and be present. That year taught me that community can look like attending a graduation on Zoom or donating to a mutual aid fund for strangers. It showed me that community requires effort–and that we should be thankful there’s effort to be put in, even if it’s inconvenient at times.
For a while, I couldn’t figure out the novel’s resolution. Throughout it, Jaelyn experiences first love, a rocky friendship, a struggling relationship with her father, and losing a place she’s always loved. It took me pouring into my community even more to realize that Jaelyn needed to pour in. She needed to understand how to speak up for herself, and, in turn, speak up and be visible for others. For her friends. For her family. For skaters. For strangers. This care empowers her, emboldens her even. It shows her that everything and everyone she loves is worth fighting for. It reminds me of that fact today.
When you read Under the Neon Lights, I hope it encourages you to consider how to be an even better community member and to thank those who show up for you. So, thank you for reading Under the Neon Lights. I’m grateful to be in community with you.
– Arriel Vinson
