Schomburg Center Literary Festival 2020

General Overview

• Virtual event due to COVID-19.
• Features 35 authors and moderators from the US, UK, West Africa, and Jamaica.
• Each night explores themes from past and present, similar to Schomburg Center’s archives.
• Celebrating 95 years of the Schomburg Center – a cultural institution for research and preservation of global black experiences.
• Archive holds over 11 million items, many available digitally.
• Website: schomburgcenterlitfest.org for schedule and book purchases.

Event Sponsors

• New York Life Foundation
• Deutsche Bank America’s Foundation
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (NYPL)

Highlight: Audre Lorde Event

• Panelists: Roxane Gay, Tracy K. Smith, Mahogany L. Brown; Moderator: Salamisha Tillett
• Focus: Audre Lorde's works, themes of radical care, political warfare, and intersectionality.
• Date: September 22, 2020

Key Discussions

• Mahogany L. Brown:
  • Author and educator, discussed Lorde’s impact on poetry and activism.
  • Highlighted Lorde’s views on difference and diversity as strengths.
• Roxane Gay:
  • Discussed Lorde’s letter to Mary Daly and intersectionality.
  • Emphasized the need for feminists to embrace and work through differences.
• Tracy K. Smith:
  • Focused on the cancer journals and personal transformation through suffering.
  • Explored Lorde's views on the power of poetry and personal experience.

Audre Lorde’s Legacy

• Her work remains relevant for discussions on racism, sexism, and intersectionality.
• Advocated for the power of anger and difference in feminist movements.
• Explored themes of self-care as political acts, linking personal well-being to broader social resistance.
• Encouraged coalition-building across racial and gender lines for collective empowerment.

Upcoming Events at the Festival

• Spotlight on Sterling A. Brown
• YA authors and works featuring Jacqueline Woodson and Dean Atta.
• Discussion on Black comic books and debut authors.
• Patrice Cullers, a founder of Black Lives Matter, featuring her YA memoir.

Key Takeaways

• Lorde’s teachings on difference urge integration of intersectional approaches in activism.
• The festival highlights the importance of revisiting works like Lorde’s for ongoing social justice education.
• Self-care as a necessary component for sustaining activism and personal health against oppressive forces.

Additional Resources

• Visit schomburgshop.com for book purchases.
• Access recordings and further information on the festival’s website.