Join us for a heartwarming celebration of Black motherhood with author Leah Hairston, MSSW as she introduces her uplifting coloring book, "Color Me, Mama: Birth & Postpartum Affirmations for New Moms." Bursting with beautifully diverse designs and doula-crafted empowering affirmations, this coloring book is a tribute to the strength, resilience, and beauty of Black motherhood. Leah Hairston, with her wealth of experience as a doula and her passion for supporting women, invites you to explore the pages of "Color Me, Mama." Each illustration and affirmation is carefully curated to provide moments of peace, reflection, and empowerment for new mamas as they navigate their birth and postpartum experiences. This event is not just about coloring; it's about honoring the journey of Black motherhood and recognizing the power that each mother holds within her. Join us as Leah Hairston shares the inspiration behind "Color Me, Mama" discusses the importance of representation in motherhood resources, and leads us in a discussion about the joys and challenges of the motherhood journey. Whether you're an expecting mother, a new mama, or simply looking for a meaningful gift for a loved one, "Color Me, Mama" is a must-have addition to your collection. Come celebrate the beauty of Black motherhood, connect with other mothers in the community, and embrace the power of motherhood with Leah Hairston and "Color Me, Mama." About the book: Celebrate the journey of Black motherhood with our affirming coloring book! Featuring beautifully diverse designs and doula-crafted empowering affirmations, it's the perfect gift for new mamas to support their birth and postpartum experiences. Curate moments of peace and reflection with our coloring book, all while basking in the power you hold as a mother. About the author: Leah Hairston is on a mission to educate and empower women with female reproductive systems. After 7 years and nearly 100 doula families, she’s more dedicated than ever. When she learned of the systematic reproductive injustices against Black women, she dedicated her life to facilitating spaces for healing, equal access, & justice. As a skilled intuition-based doula and perinatal social worker, she reminds women of their inherent power, especially when navigating challenges within reproductive wellness experiences. Her wisdom and lived experiences are evident in her style as an instructor and mentor. A bold advocate and patient educator, Leah believes that relationship is one of the key factors in facilitating smooth, healing experiences. She takes the time to curate personalized, informed experiences for her clients no matter the services they receive. A graduate of Roland Park Country School, Howard University, and Columbia University, Leah is a perpetual student. She completed training with Ancient Song Doula Services, Lactation Education Resources, Steamy Chick, Brilliant Birth Academy, and Grandma’s Hands Herbal School. She is an instructor and mentor with the National Black Doula Association. When not on call, you’ll find Leah trying a new recipe while listening to an audiobook, walking her pup T’Challa, or savoring moments with loved ones. She loves all things at the intersections of healing, reproductive wholeness & social justice. Leah’s work was recently recognized by Pharrell Williams. She and her team are Black Ambition Prize semi-finalists on a mission to end maternal mortality. Learn more here.

Tuesdays with Dr. Traci is a livestreamed community conversation with the "sage of Sankofa", Dr. Traci. We invite you to learn about our featured guests in various fields by asking questions. We definitely want to hear from you. About Dr. Traci Wyatt: Traci D. Wyatt is a scholar, preacher, author, and educator. She has earned her Ph.D. in African Studies, Master of Arts in Religious Studies, and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. All her academic achievements were completed at Howard University in Washington, DC. About Dr. Ayo Sekai: Dr. Ayo Sekai is an academic book publisher, political scientist, and public speaker. She established Universal Write Publications (UWP) in 2004 to champion the work of Black and Brown scholars, using her platform to amplify their research. Before her current role, Dr. Sekai served as a public servant in various federal agencies and worked as an educator.

About the book: The vibrant stories in I'll Give You a Reason explore race, identity, connection, and belonging in the Ironbound, an immigrant neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. A young widow goes on her first date since her husband's death and finds herself hunting a bear in the woods with a near stranger. An unhappy wife compares her mother's love spells and rituals to her own efforts to repair her strained marriage. A self-conscious college student discovers a porn star who shares her name and becomes obsessed with her doppelgänger's freedom and comfort with her own body. Annell López's indelible characters tread the waters of political unrest, sexuality, religion, body image, Blackness, colorism, and gentrification--searching for their identities and a sliver of joy and intimacy. Through each story, a nuanced portrait of the "American Dream" emerges, uplifting the voices of those on its margins. About the author: Annell López is a Dominican immigrant. She is the winner of the Louise Meriwether First Book Prize and the author of the short story collection I’LL GIVE YOU A REASON from the Feminist Press. A Peter Taylor Fellow at the Kenyon Review Writers Workshops, her work has also received support from Tin House and has appeared in Guernica, American Short Fiction, Michigan Quarterly Review, Brooklyn Rail, Refinery29 and elsewhere. López received her MFA from the University of New Orleans. She is working on a novel.

Everything you wanted to know about writing and publishing your book! Calling all authors! We are excited to welcome author Kwame Alexander as he spends an hour answering questions about the publishing industry and how to write and publish your book! Kwame will be signing books after this discussion!

About the book: A refreshing, insightful, sacrilegious take on African American history, Crazy as Hell explores the site of America's greatest contradictions. The notables of this book are the runaways and the rebels, the badass and funky, the activists and the inmates--from Harriet Tubman, Nina Simone, and Muhammad Ali to B'rer Rabbit, Single Mamas, and Wakandans--but are they crazy as hell, or do they simply defy the expectations designated for being Black in America? With humor and insight, scholars and writers V. Efua Prince and Hoke S. Glover III (Bro. Yao) offer brief breakdowns of one hundred influential, archetypal, and infamous figures, building a new framework that emphasizes their humanity. Including an introduction by MacArthur Fellow Reginald Dwayne Betts and peppered with little-known historical facts and PSAs that get real about the Black experience, Crazy as Hell captures the tenacious, irreverent spirit that accompanies a long struggle for freedom. About the author: Hoke S. Glover III (Bro. Yao) is a poet, nonfiction writer, and the chair of the department of language, literature, and cultural studies at Bowie State University. About the host: Greg Carr is an Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Howard School of Law. He is First Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations and Editor of The Compass: The Journal of ASCAC. A former board member of the National Council for Black Studies, Dr. Carr has twice been named national “HBCU Male Faculty Member of the Year” by HBCU Digest and has been voted "Professor of the Year" several times by Howard students. He led the team that designed the curriculum framework for the School District of Philadelphia’s mandatory high school African American History course and, during his time as the District's Program Specialist on Race and Culture, co-founded Philadelphia Freedom Schools. His writing has appeared in books, academic and popular journals and he serves as a contributor to and/or commentator in a wide range of media. He is a weekly panelist on the daily digital news show “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and co-hosts Karen Hunter’s weekly Saturday YouTube series, “In Class With Carr.” His commentaries on the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture appeared in the August and September 2016 issues of Ebony Magazine.Dr. Carr’s chapter, “Re-Literacy and African Power in the Trump Era,” appears in Not Our President, Third World Press’ book-length commentary on the Trump presidency. He tweets at @AfricanaCarr and blogs at drgregcarr.com

About the book: A woman journeys into a submerged world of gods and myth to save her home in this powerful historical fantasy that shines a light on the drowned Black towns of the American South. "Our home began, as all things do, with a wish." Jane Edwards hasn't spoken since she was eleven years old, when armed riders expelled her family from their hometown along with every other Black resident. Now, twelve years later, she's found a haven in the all-Black town of Awenasa. But the construction of a dam promises to wash her home under the waters of the new lake. Jane will do anything to save the community that sheltered her. So, when a man with uncanny abilities arrives in town asking strange questions, she wonders if he might be the key. But as the stranger hints at gods and ancestral magic, Jane is captivated by a bigger mystery. She knows this man. Only the last time she saw him, he was dead. His body laid to rest in a rushing river. Who is the stranger and what is he really doing in Awenasa? To find those answers, Jane will journey into a sunken world, a land of capricious gods and unsung myths, of salvation and dreams made real. But the flood waters are rising. To gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to find her voice again and finally face the trauma of the past. About the author: For more from Leslye Penelope, check out The Monsters We Defy. Leslye Penelope, who also writes as L. Penelope, has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Her debut novel Song of Blood & Stone was chosen as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. The novel also won the inaugural award for Best Self-Published Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Her 2022 novel The Monsters We Defy won the 2023 Audie Award for Best Fantasy Audiobook. She was born in the Bronx, not long after the birth of hip hop, but left before she could acquire an accent. Equally left and right-brained, she studied film production at Howard University and minored in computer science. This led to a master’s degree in multimedia and a career in website development. She’s also an award-winning independent filmmaker, co-founded a literary magazine, and sometimes dreams in HTML. Leslye is an alumna of VONA/Voices and Hurston/Wright Writers Workshop. She has spoken and taught at conferences and festivals around the country including the Baltimore Book Festival, Romance Writers of America, Writers Digest Annual & Novel Writing Conferences, and the Historical Novel Society. Her podcast, My Imaginary Friends, is a journal of her publishing life, perfect for readers and writers alike. Leslye lives in Maryland with her feline dependents.

Join us for a deep dive into Matthew Morrison's latest release, Blacksound: Making Race and Popular Music in the United States!