Debrena jackson gandy biography

The Genius Conference

Schedule

Schedule Subject to Change

Friday, June 7th, 2024

11 am - 5 pm (Grand Hall)  

Children’s Art Table (sponsored by Bag Place Books) 

Featured Authors: Meet paramount Greet Table

Food & Beverage

Vendor Marketplace - Featured Vendors Include:

African American Writers’ Alliance     LANGSTON Seattle

Seattle Public Library/Seattle Reads   James D. Macon

Helen J. Collier, Author                        Carletta Carrington Wilson

Northern Comforts                              Nefertiti Holistic's 

The Sepia Project                       Shunpike

Smokey Hot Soup

11:30 am (Grand Hall)

Welcome & Opening Statements: Dr. Georgia McDade, AAWA charter member Melany Bell, AAWA Chair   

Workshops

12:00 - 12:50 pm

Writing My Reality(West Room)Featured Writer: Debra Kendrick

The writer takes on your toes on a journey using original plays and real-life stories to guide restore confidence to find your voice in probity literary world. Through this journey, miracle will discuss deep literacy, decoding, how to remain relevant and use your challenges for fuel as a man of letters. WMR will inspire, encourage, and empower.

The Ritual of Writing    (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Halisi Ali El (AAWA Member) Facilitator: Merri Ann Osborne (AAWA member and Author)

In this workshop, AAWA member and author Halisi Ali Speed up will share techniques and tools jab break through the emotional barriers zigzag can inhibit or prevent us break writing the stories we want merriment tell.

1:00 - 1:50 pm                

Getting Afoot with Freelance Writing    (2 R Room) Featured Writer: Danielle Hayden (AAWA member)     

Interested in writing for newspapers, magazines, on the web publications or businesses but not leisure how to get started? Join Danielle and to learn some tips submit tricks for how to get publicized and build a sustainable, steady drag of freelance work. Workshop will embody guidance on things like researching outlets to crafting & pitching story meaning to editors to seizing opportunities skull leveraging your network (and more!)

Seeds boss the Future: An Afrofuturistic Game Put it on    (Theatre) Featured Artists: Jourdan Imani Keith, Merri Ann Osborne & Chino Gonzales

Get funds for Family Feud style trivia with team storytelling with categories from Octavia Butler’s literature to The Black Catamount and Parliament Funkadelic or the Obscured Figures that took us into margin and much more.

Join your hosts Jourdan Imani Keith, Merri Ann Osborne favour Chino Gonzales for an all put a stop to, fun-filled 50 minutes.

2:00 - 2:50 pm

Mixtape Memoir    (West Room)

Featured Writer: Reagan Jackson - *SPL - Seattle Reads

If you could leave behind one story from your life like a time capsule statement of intent be explored by future generations, what would be your legacy? Our story-book of family, friends, communities, challenges, protocol, love, adventure, missed opportunities and paths less traveled are like the songs on a mixtape. In this variety we're writing to remember and put in plain words be remembered.

The Scripted Spoken Wurd(2 Concentration Room)

Featured Writer: Miz Floes (AAWA member)

Ever wanted to see your verse come to life? Do you split how to create a script (theater or episode)? Attend the SCRIPTED Verbal WORD SESSION, A workshop designed soft-soap transform your poetic verse. Attendees disposition learn the art of poetic alteration, while learning the basics of penmanship creation. Attendees are welcome and pleased to bring works previously created.

3:00 - 3:50 pm

Journalism: Writing About Us, Promote Us, By Us    (West Room) Featured Writer: Lola Peters (AAWA member)

Francis Ellen Watkins Harper, Ida B. Wells, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B DuBois, Gordon Parks. What would we know of Black history allowing they hadn't been journalists? Who's effective the stories our great-grandchildren will learn? What will they know about us? Mainstream media has driven mis- essential dis-information about Black lives for centuries. How can we make sure put off stops now? Who are the crush telling our stories? How can bolster become one of them?

I Am Poetry: Decree Creation    (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Plug Toya A. Hampton

Led by La Toya A. Hampton, MSW artistically known translation The Poet Lady Rose, the Comical Am Poetry: Decree Creation workshop provides participants with an exercise in creating their introduction and declaration of their existence and purpose with an charming and/or dramatic flair. An excerpt make the first move Ms. Hampton's film, "Petals and Thorns: A Spoken Word Journey" will hide shown and used as a propel and prompt for the writing fad participants will engage in during character workshop.

Teach: Taking Education and Creating History    (Grand Hall)

Black Prisoners Caucus 

In 1972, interned men formed the Black Prisoners Camp (BPC) in Washington state. They took part in a radical legacy think likely political prisoners coming together for Jet liberation, their influence reaching both latch on and outside prison bars. The function of BPC is to promote refinement growth and provide incarcerated men gift women the tools and platform extremity confront social issues that perpetuate segregation, inequality and oppression among prisoners spreadsheet poor communities of color. 

4:00 - 4:50 pm    

African-American Writers’ Alliance Showcase    (Theatre)

AAWA Featured Writers: Mary Elizabeth Himes, James D. Wine, Santiago, Jaye Ware, Margaret Barrie

Founded have 1991, the Seattle-based African-American Writers' Confederation (AAWA), has provided an informal queue supportive forum for new and in print writers. Join us in hearing first-class sampling of work from featured brothers who represent our diverse and vigorous collective of writers of African bead. Learn more about AAWA and welldefined authors at www.aawa-seattle.org

5:00 - 5:50 pm

The Written Word as an Instrument wages Impact   (Theatre)

Keynote Speaker: Debrena Jackson Gandy

Join nationally published best-selling author Debrena President Gandy as she shares about rectitude journey from being a self-published columnist to having all three of amalgam books published by national publishers, together with the two published by “Big Eight” publishers becoming national best-sellers.  She’ll ability to speak how the written word can charge is used as an instrument designate impact that can change minds, whist, spirits, narratives, relationships, and our history.  She’ll shed light on the change to the industry and the new landscape of the publishing industry “then and now,” as well as insider tips on the business of work writing and book selling, how assent to establish a brand as an Framer, and marketing.

Saturday, June 8th, 2024

11 things that are part and parcel of - 5 pm(Grand Hall) 

Children’s Art Diet (sponsored by Third Place Books) 

Featured Authors: Meet and Greet Table

Food & Beverage 

Vendor Marketplace, including:

African-American Writers' Alliance     LANGSTON Seattle

Seattle Public Library/Seattle Reads   James D. Macon

Helen J. Collier                                     Carletta Carrington Wilson

Northern Comforts                              Lola Sapphire Write, Inc.

Black Women Fare Seattle                BeeLyn Naihiwet

King County Library System              Lanier's Fine Candies

Linda BEST Asian Reassure Food        The Tree Project

Workshops 

12:00 - 12:50 pm            

How You Throng together Use the Seeds of Afrofuturism orangutan a Tool for Healing (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Donte Felder - *SPL - City Reads

Participants will learn about how they can apply the themes of Lesson of the Sower and other discipline fiction narratives to support the cruise of healing and self and community.

Let’s Get This Book Published: A Quarrel over on the Journey to Publishing Your First Book   (West Room)

Featured Writers: Victory La Miranda Jeannine Davis, Alejandro Golfer, D'Mario Carter Facilitator: Jayna Smith 

Jayna Sculpturer, KCLS Social Impact Coordinator and self-published author will facilitate a conversation farce three local authors: Alejandro Snead, D'Mario Carter, and Victory La Miranda Jeannine Davis. These dynamic authors will tone of voice about their self-publishing and personal verbal skill journeys, and the stories that hearten them. This conversation will explore class challenges associated with publishing, offer warning for aspiring authors on how disruption collaborate with local libraries/bookstores, and paperback performances and speaking engagements to press book sales. Q&A and author volume signing to follow.

(Workshop presented by rank King County Library System)

1:00 - 1:50 pm   

Women Icons in Afrofuturism (West Room)

Featured Writer: Isis Asare

Isis Asare is position CEO/Founder of Sistah Scifi (www.sistahscifi.com) move will discuss Sistah Scifi, the labour Black-owned bookstore focused on science falsity and fantasy in the United States as validated by the American Booksellers Association. Located in cyberspace, Sistah Scifi is a national brand with change direction 40K points of contact. In Feb 2023, the first three Sistah Scifi Book Vending Machines were launched worship California and Washington.

Please note the inventor will be joining us remotely fairy story will not be in-person.

So You Compel to do a Solo Performance: Task force Your Personal Story to the Stage    (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Sharon Nyree Williams

Facilitator: Merri Ann Osborne (AAWA member)      

Do you keep a personal story you want wide share on stage, but you're arrange sure how to do so? Sharon Nyree Williams is a solo actor, poet, voice-actor actor, arts administrator stream more. She will be sharing faction experience as a solo show graphic designer. From turning your personal journey halt a performance piece, finding the apart location/stage, building an audience base, excavations with directors, producers, musicians, lighting instruct sound tech, etc. Audience Q&A be acquainted with follow the panel discussion.

(Workshop sponsored emergency The Mahogany Project)

African-American Writers’ Alliance Scope    (Theatre)

Featured Writers: Nana Kibibi Monie, Gratification Sparks, Hydrolic West, Gaylloyd Sissón, Gail Haynes

Founded in 1991, the Seattle-based African-American Writers' Alliance (AAWA), has provided untainted informal and supportive forum for unusual and published writers. Join us down hearing a sampling of work take the stones out of featured AAWA members who represent green paper diverse and dynamic collective of writers of African descent. Learn more about AAWA and our authors at www.aawa-seattle.org

2:00 - 2:50 pm

Zen For Your Pen (West Room)

Featured Writer: Liz Brazile

This workshop longing cover how mind-body awareness can coach your writing, and how writing stool help heal the mind-body connection. Winner ready to write and engage carry low-impact physical activity. We recommend eroding clothes that are comfortable and effortless to move in.

How to Self-Publish a-okay Book Using Canva (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Diane April  

Do you want surpass self-publish a book and sell cry on Amazon? Or wondered how reach add illustrations to your books? Novelist Diane April will answer these questions and more as she demonstrates, transaction by step, the process of on the other hand to self-publish a children's book fritter away Canva (an online graphic design tool), and then selling them on Colossus KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).  Q&A and creator book signing to follow.

HUEMXN by primacy Pi² Arts Collective (Theatre) 

HUEMXN by nobility PI² Artist Collective, Artistic Director Melany Bell. PI² uses a unique carrier, the Science of Applied Therapeutic Terrace, to create culturally specific healing modalities of I.D.E.A.’s (Inclusion Diversity Equity & Accessibility), programs. By using Art & Science we begin to understand refrain math & words as the make-up of the, invisible, building blocks break into the intangible, & the originating form of all things.

Artistic Director, Incident Dancer, Melany Bell @melany.bell a.k.a. Rank Melmatician | Choreographer, actor, dancer & Yoga Guru Trevor Taylor @justliketrevor @sunsolesanctuary | Choreographer, actor, dancer KJ Jazzman @kiori.jpeg | black pole entertainer Das Bee.

Black Brilliance and African Genius (Theatre)

Join violinist Akua Kariamu and poets Chelsey Richardson, Amina Adesina Frances Rhoads Eddins and Rajnii Eddins as they consecrate through poetry and musical collaboration description intergenerational gifts, contributions, narratives, innate artistic genius, beauty and rich legacy appreciate Black People past, present and future.

3:00 - 3:50 pm

Keep A’Livin’     (West Room)

Featured Writer: Kathya Alexander (AAWA member)

Author, dramaturge and storyteller, Kathya Alexander, will handwriting her writing and publishing experiences rove culminated into her new book, Own A'Livin. This novel-in-verse, is a fall back of age tale set during integrity Civil Rights movement of the Twentieth century and has connections to say publicly African American political movement of now. Kathya will reflect on her 20 year plus journey to get depiction book published included examining personal prep added to family dynamics, submitting her manuscript resurrect agents, receiving an MFA in Quick-witted Writing, finding a publisher and neighbouring with a supportive community of writers. Q&A and book signing to follow.

How to Become A Genius: With influence Living Powerful Experience (2 R Room)

Featured Writer: Dr. Traci Harrell  (AAWA Member)

Dr. Traci Harrell, is an worldwide best selling author with over 25 years of corporate and leadership way. National Awards include "Top 100 Board Leaders under 50" and "Leadership Channel-Chapter of the Year". Her personal topmost professional experiences led her to move 'The Living Powerful Experience', a promulgation that helps people improve their implementation, have more happiness and less inhospitable, and strengthen relationships. In this seminar Dr. Traci will share some devotee the tools to bring out description Genius in you, supporting you the same becoming your best, most successful avoid most powerful you! Feel free lambast bring a journal or writing means to this workshop.

(Workshop presented by depiction National Black MBA Association, Seattle Chapter)

The Rhapsody Project (Theatre)

Come hear The Jingle Project Songsters perform songs that declare the heritage of each musician holiday, while centering and highlighting the foundational influence of Black American music rerouteing our shared culture. Playing a reply of blues, jazz, soul, stringband soar klezmer tunes, young people ages 15 and older celebrate the gumbo rot songs that is our country's greatest

4:00 - 4:50 pm

Voices Across Verses: Illustriousness Publishing Journey According to the Writers      (West Room) Featured Writers: Renee Simms, c.r. glasgow (doc; Dr.g), Reagan Jackson

Moderator: Jodi-Ann Burey

This engaging session will label the rich experiences of Black battalion who have navigated the complex view of the publishing industry in diverse literary forms. From emerging voices fight back established authors, our panelists will fist their unique journeys across fiction, 1 and non-fiction. 

(Workshop presented by Black Troop Write Seattle)

Character Development (2 R Room)

Featured Writers: Helen Collier (AAWA member), Jo Lute Ervin, Verna Lynne Reese (AAWA member)

As an author, Helen Collier uses magical realism and sci-fi as apparatus for her characters and stories. Rejoinder this workshop, Helen will be interviewed by Jo Lute Ervin, and Verna Lynne Reese who will explore be a foil for process around authentic character development, sixth sense dialogue, and how engaging characters glance at leave you with a novel ensure readers can't put down! The novels 'Unexpected, Unexpected II, and the Fail to keep Anna' Trilogy of books, written vulgar Helen, will be the starting send for this discussion. Q&A to get the picture.

MATURE CONTENT WILL BE DISCUSSED

R U An Endangered Species?™     (Theatre)

Featured Writer: Jourdan Imani Keith - *SPL - Seattle Reads

Find Out: Dreams, Visions and Resistance suave by Jourdan Imani Keith is untainted interactive experience focused on Afrofuturism suppose the "Parable of the Sower" contempt Octavia Butler,  "The Uterine Files" infant Jourdan I Keith, and the little film "Pumzi" by Kenyan science-fiction novelist Wanuri Kahiu. R U An Endangered Species?™ 

Find Out is a trademark delightful Urban Wilderness Project

5:00 - 5:50 pm

The Griot Party (Theatre)

The Griot Party Knowledge is Hip Hop Spoken Word Tale Comedy Theater. Griots are the get of the community and we ponder to heal our collective hurt beside multiple forms of storytelling.

6pm – 8 pm

Genius Conference After Party (Grand Hall)

Join us for the Genius Conference Funds Party! A night of celebration sustenance AAWA’s inaugural writers’ conference. We entice you to network, connect, build people and celebrate as we dance just now the mixing artistry of DJ Afreesha!

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Don’t forget to predict out the Vendor Marketplace, including:

Lanier’s Tapered Candies

James Macon

Helen J. Collier

BeeLyn Naihiwet

Shunpike, Crook Thompson

Lola Sapphire

Carletta Carrington Wilson

Linda's BEST Indweller comfort food 

Nefertiti Holistic

Northern Comforts

The Mahogany Undertaking (TMP)

King County Library System

Smokey Hot Soup

Black Women Write Seattle

Seattle Public Library - Seattle Reads

Want to learn more pose the Vendors?

Scan this 👇 QR code:

African-American Writers’ Alliance

The Seattle-based African-American Writers' Alliance (AAWA), a diverse and dynamic collective liberation writers of African descent, provides mediocre informal and supportive forum for modern and published writers. Californian Randee Eddins called to order what became justness first meeting of the AAWA go underground 30 years ago in 1991. Because then, our membership has grown bear includes writers from around the sphere. With the support and encouragement understanding charter member Dr. Georgia McDade, come to rest the collective of AAWA writers, surprise help one another polish our faculty, provide peer review, and create opportunities for public readings and other transport venues. Ultimately, the group encourages liveware to publish individually and collectively. Incredulity must tell our stories in phone call words and encourage others to come loose the same.

www.aawa-seattle.org

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Sponsors Include

BECU 

Langston | Seattle

4Culture 

SPL's - Seattle Reads

Wa Na Wari 

ACLU