Black Writers Read

Send us Fan Mail This episode features excerpts from four conversations we’ve had with guests that reflect on topics relevant to the Juneteenth holiday including family, ancestral influences, food, culture, and honoring our pasts. Included on this bonus episode are the following conversations: Saida Agostini (S2 E6 of the livestream series /Retrospective Episode on the audio podcast) read excerpts...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our latest livestream from Saturday, June 10, 2023 with our guest, Kimberly Mack to discuss her latest book, Time’s Up , which is on the band, Living Colour’s sophomore album. Kimberly Mack will begin her time as the Associate Professor of  English at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign this coming fall. Her book, Living Colour’s Time’s Up , part of Bloom...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our latest livestreamed from Sunday, June 4, 2023 with our guest, Itua Uduebo to discuss his debut novel, Parade of Streetlights . Itua was born in Lagos, Nigeria and currently resides in New York, NY. He graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in International Politics and works in the financial technology industry. Itua's writing journey beg...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our latest livestreamed from Saturday, May 13, 2023 in honor of Mother’s Day weekend. We chatted with poet and nonfiction writer, Shirley A. Jones Luke who read for our 2021 Black History Month virtual event. Shirley A. Jones Luke is a poet and writer. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Ms. Luke has an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Her poems focu...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Lisbeth White (poetry. prose.), which was livestreamed on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Lisbeth is the author of the 2022 Perugia Prize winning poetry collection, AMERICAN SYCAMORE .   From the bayou, to Belgium, to Barbados, AMERICAN SYCAMORE examines the Black diaspora, ancestral reparation, and the sacred feminine. In pursuit of understan...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with certified doula, writer, book coach, and host of the Write to Heal Podcast , Danielle Jernigan , which was livestreamed on Saturday, April 15, 2023 during Black Maternal Health Week . During our conversation, we talked about Daniellle's writing for popular audiences, how her past work experience in medical research pairs nicely with...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Enzo Silon Surin , which was livestreamed on Saturday, April 8, 2023. We talked about their most recent books including When My Body was a Clinched Fist and the forthcoming poetry collection, American Scapegoat . Enzo Silon Surin is a Haitian-born, award-winning poet, educator, librettist, publisher and social advocate. He is the author...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Philadelphia’s Dr. Raina J. León , which was livestreamed on Saturday, March 25, 2023 to talk about her expansive body of work. Dr. Raina J. León is Black, Afro-Boricua, and from Philadelphia (Lenni Lenape ancestral lands). She is a mother, daughter, sister, madrina, comadre, partner, poet, writer, artist, digital archivist, podcaster, a...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with self-help and business author, La’Vista Jones , which was livestreamed on Saturday, March 18, 2023 to talk about her latest book, The BOSS™ Shift . La’Vista Jones is the founder and CEO of 31 Marketplace, an agency committed to helping women do the work they love, without sacrificing themselves to do it.  As a corporate dropout, turned e...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Regine Jackson, which was hosted live at The Artist Cafe in Downtown Springfield, Massachusetts on February 12, 2023. Regine Jackson is a writer who was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. Born in 1997, Jackson has been an avid reader since she was a child. She always wished to write, specifically stories where the main charac...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Shanita Hubbard , which was livestreamed on Sunday, January 29, 2023. Shanita Hubbard is the author of the book, Ride-Or-Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women .  Her writing has also appeared in numerous outlets, including the New York Times, Huffington Post, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, and more  She is also a j...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversations with Tricia Elam Walker (adult fiction. children's books. plays. short stories. essays.) from Episode Four , Tara Betts (poetry) from Episode Five , and Toni Ann Johnson (literary fiction--novel. short story.) from Episode Eight - all from Season Three. We wanted an opportunity to examine how some of our guests approach craft and constr...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Lisa Pegram (poetry. nonfiction.), which was livestreamed on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Lisa Pegram is a writer, arts integration specialist and publishing professional who hails from Washington, DC. She has over 20 years of experience in high-level program design for such organizations as the Smithsonian Institute, Corcoran Gallery of...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Mbinguni (historical fiction. women’s fiction. literary fiction), which was livestreamed on Saturday, January 7, 2023, opening up the Spring portion of Season Three.  Mbinguni is a natural storyteller. Born and raised on the barrier island of Fernandina Beach, FL, she's had dreams of writing professionally for as long as she can rem...

Send us Fan Mail A bonus episode, Nicole shares what she is reading during her holiday break. Check out her list and read along with her! Black Writers Read will return in early January of 2023. In the meantime, watch past livestreamed episodes on YouTube or listen to audio podcasts episodes . Thanks for your ongoing support. Happy Holidays and see you in the new year! Find us on Instagram: @black...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Toni Ann Johnson , which was livestreamed on Saturday, December 3, 2022. We talked about her award-winning short story collection, LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE which was published in October. It’s received praise from Publishers Weekly, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and the Washington Post.  Toni Ann Johnson won the Flannery O'Connor...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Dr. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere who joined us for the live-streamed episode on November 12, 2022. We talked about her debut historical fiction novel, Finding La Negrita , which was released in September. Published by Jaded Ibis Press, Finding La Negrita is a captivating retelling of the Black Madonna narrative, which has driven Costa Rica's national and sp...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features award-winning flash fiction, essay, children's literature author Desiree Cooper , originally live-streamed on November 6, 2022 to kick off Children’s Book Week. During the episode we chatted about her first children’s picture book, Nothing Special , which was released in October. Published by Wayne State University Press and illustrated by Bec Stone, Not...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features poet Dr. Tara Betts , originally live-streamed on October 22, 2022. During the episode we chatted about her newest poetry collection, Refuse to Disappear , which was released in July of 2022. Refuse to Disappear is a declaration that there are some people who resist by merely existing. In these poems, Tara Betts renders celebrations and tributes to Black wome...

Send us Fan Mail This bonus episode features the virtual book launch of author Addie Tsai’s book , Unwieldy Creatures . This special event was livestreamed on August 30, 2022, Mary Shelley’s 225th Birthday as Unwieldy Creatures is a biracial, queer, gender-swapped retelling of Mary Shelley's classic novel, Frankenstein . Joining me for this special event to co-host was horror writer, Tracy Cr...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features award-winning author, educator and recovered lawyer,  Tricia Elam Walker , originally live-streamed on October 9 2022. Tricia read excerpts from her children's books, Dream Street and Nana Akua Goes to School . Following her reading, we chatted about her prolific career. Tricia's novel, Breathing Room , was published by Simon & Schuster/PocketBo...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Fiction, Poetry, Narrative Non-Fiction author Nikesha Else Williams , originally live-streamed on October 1, 2022. We met to chat about her new book, Mardi Gras Indians , which was released on October 5, 2022 and published by Louisiana State University Press. Mardi Gras Indians explores how sacred and secular expressions of Carnival throughout the African dia...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features poet Rage Hezekiah . Black Writers Read hosted Rage in person on June 18, 2022 at The LAVA Center in Greenfield, Massachusetts in honor of Juneteenth. We met to chat about her recently released collection of poetry, Yearn , which was a recipient of the 2021 Diode Editions Book Contest Award.  Rage Hezekiah is a Cave Canem, Ragdale, and MacDowell Fellow who ea...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 1 of Season Three features St. Clair Detrick-Jules . We met to chat about and celebrate the one-year anniversary of the release of her book, My Beautiful Black Hair: 101 Natural Hair Stories from the Sisterhood . St. Clair Detrick-Jules is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, author, activist, and public speaker. She captures personal stories and intimate moments cent...

Send us Fan Mail Hear insights on the planned lineup of guests for Season Three of Black Writers Read. Season Three of the audio podcast premieres on Tuesday, September 20. We'll be joined by filmmaker, photographer, author, activist, and public speaker St. Clair Detrick-Jules . Please subscribe to be sure to get each episode at its debut. For more information on Black Writers Read, please vi...