A Sense of Belonging

Zahira P. Latif discusses feeling part of a community

Zahira P. Latif

2/2/20253 min read

For me The Night Economy book launch was a night to remember. It wasn’t just an event on the calendar—it felt like the beginning of something meaningful, a moment that I could feel shifting my perspective.

Mom and I stepped into a bustling room full of people who radiated the same excitement I was feeling. We found ourselves in a lively spot that felt alive with possibility, right next to the Voce Book Shop. Everywhere I looked, people were smiling, talking, exchanging ideas. The energy was magnetic, and I knew right away that I was part of something special.

As I navigated the crowd, I couldn’t help but take in the mix of voices and laughter, the way everyone’s stories seemed to converge in that single room. It was as if the entire creative soul of Birmingham had come together for one night. I felt a tinge of pride just being there. I was on the lookout for familiar faces when, suddenly, there was Pete Haynes, one of the editors.

He greeted me in his signature way: a curious blend of detachment and enthusiasm. It was a style all his own—warm but with a touch of coolness, as though he was both excited to see me and, at the same time, completely unfazed.

It was typical Pete. Effortlessly balancing excitement with his own brand of laid-back sureness. We launched into a conversation. There we were, talking about writing, Birmingham, and Floodgate press and their next moves, when mid-conversation, Pete looked at me and said words that caught me off guard: “You’re now part of the Floodgate Press family.”

I felt a mix of emotions—surprise, joy, even relief. Those words were more than a kind gesture; they were an acknowledgment of everything I’d been working towards. Every story I had poured myself into, and every challenge I had faced along the way. To hear that I was now part of a literary family, not just any family but Floodgate Press, was a moment that filled me with a sense of belonging that I didn’t even know I had been longing for.

As a writer from a community that’s often overlooked in the world of literature, I’ve grown accustomed to feeling like an outsider. I had spent years trying to find my place, working to make my voice heard in an industry that didn’t always feel inclusive. I’d wondered if my stories would ever find a home, or if the doors I knocked on would ever open.

But in that one simple statement from Pete, I felt years of doubt start to dissolve. It was as if I had been holding my breath all this time, and only now could I finally exhale. I was no longer just a hopeful writer on the edges of the literary world. I was part of something that mattered, a community that was ready to embrace voices like mine and give them a place to thrive.

It’s hard to put into words the impact that sense of belonging had on me in that moment. For so long, I’d been crafting stories that reflected my experiences, my heritage, my community, and it often felt like I was speaking into a void, wondering if anyone was truly listening.

That night, I realised that someone had been listening all along.

I felt a surge of inspiration as Pete’s words lingered in my mind. A newfound sense of purpose that went beyond just writing stories. It was about representing voices that aren’t always given the spotlight, about creating a space for others who might feel like they don’t quite fit in.

That night, I felt my identity as a writer truly come to life. It was a night that reminded me that my stories, and the stories of others like me, belong on the page, in the world, and at the heart of our shared literary experience.