The Romance Writers of America, grappling with the backlash to a racism dispute that has spurred furious debate over diversity and inclusion issues within the romance genre, said Thursday that its president and executive director have resigned. In a statement, the trade organization, which has more than 9,000 members, called the events of the past few weeks “the most painful and tumultuous” of its history. Damon Suede, its president, has stepped down, “effective immediately,” and Carol Ritter, its executive director, has also resigned, though she will remain in the position for the coming months to assist with the leadership transition. said it would not immediately name a new president, instead “working transparently with its membership” to develop a process for appointing Mr. Suede’s successor. It didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: New York Times January 09, 2020 17:26 UTC