“Groundbreaking musician, actor, fashion icon, and futurist Janelle Monáe is joined by literary collaborators Danny Lore and Sheree Renée Thomas for a conversation moderated by ALOK to celebrate the launch of The Memory Librarian at BAM. A sexy, soulful, and dissident collection of short fiction, The Memory Librarian brings to the written page the rebellious and Afrofuturistic world of Monáe’s critically acclaimed album Dirty Computer.
The stories in The Memory Librarian explore the lives of those living in an increasingly surveillance-hungry, totalitarian order—striving to see and hold onto their “dirtiness” without being tracked down and cleaned. Filled with the artistic innovation and brave themes that have made Janelle Monáe a global influence, this anthology sees our battles about gender identity, political violence, and sexuality as matters of space, time, love, and the power of memory.”
EVENT DETAILS:
LAUNCH OF THE MEMORY LIBRARIAN: AND OTHER STORIES OF DIRTY COMPUTER
CO-PRESENTED BY BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC, GREENLIGHT BOOKSTORE, AND THE LIT. BAR
APRIL 18 8PM
ALL TICKETS INCLUDE A BOOK. $45, $55, $65. GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS GO ON SALE ON 3/21/22.
Jeannine A. Cook is the owner of Harriett’s Bookshop, an independent bookstore located in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Established in February 2020, the bookstore, named for freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, is on a mission to “celebrate women authors, artists, and activists under the guiding light of [Tubman].”
“December 2020 I took my first ride on [horseback] in partnership with the Fletcher Street Riding Club. From there we’ve periodically found ways to bring together the world of horses and books. It is believed that Harriett Tubman stole a horse to deliver her elderly parents to freedom. There is a rich riding tradition among our ancestors and many indigenous cultures.
In late 2018 I ran into a Shade Room news article about a Chinese nail salon business that attacked some Black customers. The Chinese people teamed up on Black customers and even attempted to razor cut them.
Once the police arrived, the Chinese switched from an over extended aggressor role to performing a victim role.
The following day or perhaps two days following the event, I biked to the location in hopes of grabbing some photos and finding out how I could exercise support for my people.
I arrived and got to share and listen to stories, and to talk about follow-up moves to make as a community – though nothing seemed to stick unfortunately. It was a beautiful time regardless. It’s not often I attend protests, but for something that I could see being an immediate help (we got the shop to close down, and another shop the owner had we closed down also), it was worth the time.
In the long run I am still a firm believer that the hardest punch comes with where we put our money as a peoples. Forget giving your money to other races every chance you get. Seek out alternative Black Owned Businesses. It’s worth the few extra dollars.
That being said, here are some black owned websites I order my basics from:
Black history is not static, limited purely to the past—it’s made year-round. Keep reading books by Black authors and amplifying Black voices when it’s not Black History Month:
The Black Creatives Fund – An initiative with a mission of supporting new and existing Black writers and illustrators. It will feature three initiatives in 2021, including a Revisions Workshop(which is currently accepting applications!), a mentorship program, and a marketing symposia in partnership with the Brown Bookshelf.
Deadline City Podcast – Co-hosted by WNDB COO Dhonielle Clayton: “Publishing is a big scary world to many of us, and our goal is to pull back the curtain on some of the mystery by simply talking about it.”
@minoritiesinpublishing – Podcast hosted by former WNDB team member Jennifer Baker: “An interview-format podcast where Jennifer discusses the lack of diversity in the book publishing industry with other underrepresented professionals working in/associated with the literary scene. Featured guests include VPs and executive editors, literary agents, marketers, authors, illustrators, and more.”
