Cultural Challenges Facing Africans in the USA

The Pan African Organization of Minnesota will host a discussion on "Cultural Challenges Facing Africans in the USA," and has asked me to introduce the topic. The event, to be held at the Center for Families, June 18, is free and open to the public. Here is more information:

VENUE:
The Center for Families
3333 North 4th Street
Minneapolis

TIME:
Saturday, June 18, 2011. 12noon - 2:00pm

As someone whose consulting and outreach work revolves around issues related to cultural differences, I look forward to this event with eagerness.

A Gathering of African American Authors, Minneapolis

As part of the preparations for the June 16 African American Author Event, we met today at the Center for Families, thanks to the tireless efforts of Jeffrey Groves and Shatona Kilgore-Groves, featured here on the left. They founded and run the Black Parent Group.

This was a gathering for the writers to get to know one another and their writing. There was a great diversity of life stories and dreams, challenges and successes, stories of heart-rending life experiences turned into sources for books the writing of which helped the writers heal their souls and are now available to fortify and inspire others.

The authors ranged from new ones with one book published to more experienced ones with several or more books. These ranged from personal memoirs to children's books. There was even a very young boy, who seemed to be barely six years old, who has already published a story book. He read his book, with his father at his side, to great acclaim.

This was a unique, memorable event. Everyone felt it should be the beginning of a tradition, to promote and showcase the work of people of African descent. If today's event is anything to go by, the June 16 African American Author event should be phenomenal, not to be missed.

African American Author Night and Read-In

In Honor of Juneteenth

When: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Time: 5:30PM-8:30PM

Where: Magers & Quinn Booksellers
3038 Hennepin Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-822-4611



Event Description:

The Black Parent Group and Magers & Quinn Booksellers (M & Q) will host a local African-American (AA) Author Night and Read-In in honor of Juneteenth 2011. Come and meet inspirational AA/African authors. We will have a wide variety of books available including: Biographies, Children’s, Cookbooks, Mental Health, Financial, Parenting Guides, Spiritual, Fiction, Poetry, and many more genres for you to choose from.

Authors appearing:

· Coach Nakumbe
· Jacinta Calhoun
· Joseph L. Mbele
· Ms. Nique
· Candy Pettiford
· Charles E. Cox, Jr.
· Chaun Webster
· Deniesha Johnson
· Derrick L. Williams
· Dr. Verna Price
· Elder Mahmoud El-Kati
· Gary Armstead
· Gerald Montgomery
· Jeff & Shatona Groves
· Joyce Marrie
· Lance and Landon Sanders
· Lehman Riley
· Lynnette A. Murray-Gibson
· M. Ann Machen Pritchard
· Thomas Slater
· Tinitha Warren
· Tommy Watson
· Venita Johnson
· Zenobia L. Silas-Carson

African American Read-In: Male community leaders will read to local youth during the event.

For Information on M&Q Booksellers visit: www.magersandquinn.com

In Collaboration with the Council on Black Minnesotans and the Minnesota Humanities Center, this program is funded in part with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

The Black Parent Group P.O. Box 11621 St. Paul, MN 55111 612-568-6326 1-877-378-4326 © 2010