The High Desert: A Transformative Black Punk Coming-of-Age Story
By Daisy Salinas
Having discovered filmmaker, activist, tattoo artist, (and now graphic novelist) James Spooner’s work through his groundbreaking 2003 documentary Afro-Punk (and later through having the honor of hosting him at my collective Xingonas in the Pit’s 2019 “Afropunk in the Pit” event), I was so excited to preorder his graphic novel the moment it went on sale. And sure enough, it surpassed all my expectations.
Like his documentary Afro-Punk, Spooner’s must-read memoir The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere. affirms the experiences of punk/alternative Black youth and youth of color everywhere. It’s a celebration of identity and an understanding of what it means to be Black, punk, and coming-of-age.
In his beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel, Spooner courageously weaves his coming-of-age story into the backdrop of the desert town of Apple Valley, California in the late 1980s. Frustrated that he is forced to move back to a bleak town, Spooner’s universal teen angst of feeling alienated and misunderstood by the world is exacerbated by his parent’s divorce and a well-meaning white mother who’s oblivious to the racism he’s regularly subjected to.
In his search for belonging, Spooner meets one of the only few Black kids in his High School, Ty, who happens to also be punk. Ty emboldens Spooner to celebrate his individuality, nurture his raw creativity, and unapologetically be himself. Before long, Spooner picks up a bass, starts wearing a leather jacket and combat boots, and begins rocking a mohawk. But even with finding refuge in punk, Spooner is not shielded from the realities of racism.
Spooner’s experiences of confronting white supremacy in both alternative spaces and society at large are unfortunately all too commonplace. That is why there have been generations of punks who have actively resisted the racism, misogyny, and cis-heteronormativity that infiltrates the scene (and the world).
As the Riot Grrrl movement challenged misogyny and queercore challenged homophobia, Spooner would later go on to challenge racism through his documentary Afro-Punk, and the scene that followed. Largely inspired by Afro-Punk, there are D.I.Y. collectives and fests to this very day who are building subcultural spaces of refuge for people of color, women, queer, nonbinary, trans, and disabled people.
But every radical punk’s political awakening has to start somewhere. For Spooner, it's when his world gets turned upside down while on a visit to New York's East Village. Here is where he meets socially conscious punk youth who present punk as not only a genre of music or attitude, but as a political identity and radical subculture.
Because of these kids, Spooner is exposed to the liberatory power of punk by means of feminism, veganism, and other leftist ideologies. And some of the youths he meets are Black punks who are not compromising their Black identity for their punk identity.
This encounter not only expands Spooner’s definition of punk and teaches him that Black and punk identity can co-exist, but it sets the trajectory of his entire life. With these seeds of consciousness planted, Spooner is mobilized to the ways that punk subculture (whether through it's music, zines, record labels, films, grassroots orgs, & more) can be a tool to fight for justice in the world.
As someone who grew up experiencing racism and sexism in a majority white punk scene, this book deeply resonated with me. Though it was not until a couple of decades after Spooner, finding other punks of color and feminist punks also politicized me and validated my existence.
And after almost leaving punk altogether, finding a community that reflected my values was my salvation. If it was not for Spooner paving the way, generations of punk and alternative kids of color may have never found each other. In many ways, he's like our punk rock father.
The High Desert serves as a lifeline for youth looking for purpose and adults looking to heal from their past. I was captivated by every page as I wondered how different my life could have been if I had only read it as a kid. Like Afro-Punk, I believe The High Desert will stand the test of time and galvanize alternative and punk BIPOC kids for generations to come.
It's a 10/10 worthwhile read.
You can purchase a copy here and you can check out James Spooner’s book tour here.
