Presented by Esther Productions Inc.,The Black Student Fund & The Institute for African American Writing.

On Saturday, March 2, Esther Productions Inc. will bring The free Symposium “African Americans and Children’s Literature: A Historical Examination of the Role of DC Writers, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Meet award-winning, best-selling authors of children’s literature, learn about D.C.’s rich literary history, hear a discussion about the future of black books, and tour a special visual/audio exhibition. Registration is required at Esther Productions’ website. Panelists include Trinity Alumna and journalist Jonetta Rose Barras ’96, who created the event.

Opening speaker (9 am): Sidney Clifton, daughter of award-winning poet Lucille Clifton and founder of The Clifton House. She also is a producer, director and creative executive overseeing animated, mixed-media and live-action content. She has produced hundreds of hours of episodic and longform content, and children’s and primetime content on Apple TV+, BET, NBC, Showtime, Paramount, and Hallmark Channel.

Symposium discussions (9:30 – 5:30):

REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors to Get Their Stories For Children Depicting Authentic African American Life, History and Culture Published By Mainstream Companies; Presenters: Brian Gilmore, Carolivia Herron, Wynn Yarbrough, Bernard Demczuk, Jonetta Rose Barras.

IN CONVERSATION – Award-winning author Sharon Bell Mathis, a leader of the “Golden Age of Black Children’s Literature, and Grammy nominee, and literary activist and poet E. Ethelbert Miller.

SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators and Authors Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Books Written by Black Authors Alive. Presenters: Jennifer Lawson, Justin Johnson, Keesha Ceran, Sheila Crider.

TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Stories About Getting Black Books into the World By Any and All Means Necessary. Presenters: Courtland Cox, Paul Coates, Shirikiana Gerima, Vanessa Williams, Kojo Nnamdi.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: A Look Beyond the Immediate Horizon at The Future of Children’s Literature Written by African American Authors. Presenters: Kwame Alexander, Tricia Elam Walker, David Miller, Tifany Mitchell Patterson, Leroy Nesbitt and Joy Jones.

Interested in launching your career as a writer? 

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