Tina McElroy Ansa @ South Dallas Cultural Center
AFRICAN DIASPORA–NEW DIALOGUES
SEASON 4: 2017-18
Lonnie Hollie November 9, Tina McElroy Ansa, March 29, Walter Mosley April 29
Save the Date!
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 7:30
Tina McElroy Ansa
Reading and Conversation with Vicki Meek
SOUTH DALLAS CULTURAL CENTER
3400 S. Fitzhugh, Dallas, TX 75210
Admmission is Free
Special Guest Host: Patrick Oliver, Founder, Say It Loud! Readers and Writers
Tina McElroy Ansa’s is an award winning novelist and her accomplishments include being inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent at the Gwendolyn Brooks Center of Chicago State University.
In the fall of 2004, Ms. Ansa established the Sea Island Writers Retreats on Sapelo Island, Georgia. The annual retreats seek to assist emerging and established writers in honing their work and skills in fiction, non-fiction, memoir and editing in sessions with professional writers and editors.
Since then, she extended the writers retreats throughout the country with the Sea Island Writers Retreats…On the Road. These traveling literary retreats are held annually in Atlanta, Georgia on the Spelman College campus at the Women’s Research and Resource Center in April with best-selling authors, screenwriters and editors leading the workshop and lectures.
She also launched an independent publishing company, DownSouth Press, with a focus on African-American literature, fiction and nonfiction. DownSouth Press is the home to thoughtful stories and work – by established and new authors — that is often under-marketed or excluded from the current publishing landscape’s focus on “niche”, “urban” or “street” fiction.
SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 8 pm
WALTER MOSLEY
MORE THAN A LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT IT ALL
The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis St., 75208
Tickets: $25 General Admission
VIP Meet/Greet Tickets are available that include a signed book and pre-show reception with the author
WordSpace and South Dallas Cultural Center welcome Walter Mosley for a rare Dallas appearance, in lively social commentary, storytelling and selected readings of his work. Mr. Mosley’s school appearance will visit with students in a discussion of his children’s books, and Martin Luther King month. Mr. Mosley’s appearance caps the 2018 Dallas Lit Hop as Headliner, in conjunction with City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs Dallas Arts Month activities.
Walter Mosley is one of the most versatile and admired writers in America today. He is the author of more than 43 critically acclaimed books, including the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins. His work has been translated into 23 languages and includes crime fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, political monographs, and a young adult novel. His fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and The Nation, among other publications. He is the winner of numerous awards, including the 2016 Edgar Grand Master, two time winner of the NAACP Image Award for outstanding literary work, an O. Henry Award, a Grammy and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in New York City.
Best-selling novelist Walter Mosley will publish a new novel. Down the River Unto the Sea, centers on a former New York City police detective, now working as a Brooklyn PI, who is investigating the case of a Black civil rights activist convicted of murdering two city policemen. At the same time, he’s still trying to piece together the conspiracy that caused his own downfall at the hands of the police.
About This Series: African Diaspora–New Dialogues is a showcase of writers in cultural exchange between African Diaspora writers and audiences in Dallas. It is also provides enrichment to writers without borders who want to keep abreast of the latest advanced development of world literature. This is the 4th Season of this programming collaboration between South Dallas Cultural Center and WordSpace. Lonnie Holley kicked off the African Diaspora-New Dialogues in November 2017.
Past award winning writers include Chris Abani, Mitchell Jackson, Vievee Francis, Dawn Lundy Martin, Tim Seibles, Tyehimba Jess, Nicole Dennis-Benn, and Douglas Kearney. Local award winning writers who have presented their work alongside these visiting writers include Sanderia Faye, Dallas Poetry Slam writer/performers Sherrie Zantea, Javon Rustin, Rage Almighty, Melania Luisa, and Wayne Henry.
WordSpace and SDCC launched the first series in 2014 after a discussion about the “dearth of book readings by African Diaspora authors,” Vicki Meek, Retired Manager of SDCC, says.
In outlining the series, WordSpace and South Dallas Cultural Center aimed to bring new literary voices to Dallas fans and showcase the diversity of cultural offerings at the SDCC. The current series also represents the program’s success in bringing to Dallas distinguished writers of all backgrounds. SDCC also arranges the authors to make Dallas school visits to enrich their educational experience.
“We are all excited to see how this program has grown,” says Charles Dee Mitchell, WordSpace Board President. “Alongside award-winning writers from across the United States, we have presented distinguished international figures from Nigeria and Jamaica. This is exactly the vision we shared when we first sat down to plan the series with Vicki Meek,”
ABOUT WORDSPACE: WordSpace is a 24 year old nonprofit group of artists that support artist. For more information on WordSpace: www.WordSpaceDallas.com.
ABOUT SOUTH DALLAS CULTURAL CENTER: SDCC is a City of Dallas cultural facility operated by Office of Cultural Affairs. John Sprigging, Manager; Daniel Hanchett, Theater Director; Marilyn Clark, Education Director. For more information on SDCC: www.sdcc.dallasculture.org.
This series is made possible by the partial funding support of South Dallas Cultural Center, City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts and Ben E. Keith.
