James Baldwin
Octavia Butler
Ralph Ellison
Nikki Giovanni
Alice Walker
DEAR FRIENDS WELCOME
More than a decade ago, inspired by a trip with Congressman John R. Lewis, our founder Robert Raben realized that change in our world is driven not just by the bold-faced names credited with leading movements, but rather by the many unnamed foot soldiers committing everyday acts of courage.
The March on Washington Film festival was conceived to tell those stories of strategy and sacrifice by regular people. We used film as our chosen medium because of it’s power to engage people of all ages and backgrounds. In the dozen years since, the March on Washington Film Festival’s commitment to truth telling has not wavered. However, what has evolved is our approach. From a once-a-year film festival to now year-round programming; from a centering of film to now an embrace of the full spectrum of visual and performing arts; from a platform for expert filmmakers to now a teacher and incubator for student and emerging filmmakers, armed with the tools of narrative change.
A new name was in order, to fully represent who we were and who we are now. And so March On is how we will use all forms of visual and performing arts to tell these stories — through singing, dancing, drawing, acting, writing, and yes, transformational filmmaking. Our storytelling legacy continues to be a catalyst for movements and progress. These are the Stories That Move — and we have seen the power of storytelling to inspire! As we move forward as March On, our mission remains the same: to honor those who paved the way and to make real for audiences around the world how the stories of our past serve to drive our collective future. Thank you for your participation and your ongoing support. Together, let’s continue to March On. Robert
Opening Event: James Baldwin: Born With the Thunder
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Time: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: National Archives, William G. McGowan Theater 701 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
James Baldwin: Born With the Thunder
Join the March On Festival for an opening tribute celebrating the enduring impact of James Baldwin as a prolific author and activist. Experience James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket, a powerful documentary that explores Baldwin’s life and his unwavering advocacy for justice.
Dancer joseph webb, Percussionist Keith Butler Jr.
Panelists
Dr. Frank Leon Roberts, Assitant Professor, English and Black Studies, Amherst College
Karen Thorsen, Filmmaker, Executive Director, The James Baldwin Project
Cree Myles, Influencer and curator/ Host of Penguin Random House’s podcast, All Ways Black
Anthony Coley, Moderator
Political Analyst and Contributor, NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC
Documentary Film Screening: W.E.B. Du Bois: A
Biography in Four Voices
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Run time: 1 hr 54 min
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices
The long and remarkable life of Dr. William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois (1868-1963) offers unique insights into an eventful century in African American history. Born three years after the end of the Civil War, Du Bois witnessed the imposition of Jim Crow, its defeat by the Civil Rights Movement and the triumph of African independence struggles. Du Bois was the consummate scholar-activist whose path-breaking works remain among the most significant and articulate ever produced on the subject of race. This film biography uses archival footage, photo animation, and interviews with four writers (Toni Cade Bambara, Amiri Baraka, Wesley Brown and Thulani Davis) to explain the life of one of the major strategists for the empowerment of African Americans.
Film available on Eventive platform.
Film Screening: A Litany for Survival: The
Life and Work of Audre Lorde
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Run time: 1 hr 30 min
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde
An epic portrait of the eloquent, award-winning Black, lesbian, poet, mother, teacher and activist, Audre Lorde, whose writings - spanning five decades - articulated some of the most important social and political visions of the century. From Lorde’s childhood roots in NYC’s Harlem to her battle with breast cancer, this moving film explores a life and a body of work that embodied the connections between the Civil Rights movement, the Women’s movement, and the struggle for lesbian and gay rights. Film
Film Screening: Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Run time: 1 hr 52 min
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
An in-depth biography of Zora Neale Hurston, the influential author whose groundbreaking anthropological work would challenge assumptions about race, gender and cultural superiority that had long defined the field in the 19th century. Raised in the small all-Black Florida town of Eatonville, Hurston studied at Howard University before arriving in New York in 1925. She would soon become a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, best remembered for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. She studied her own people, an unusual practice at the time, and during her lifetime became known as the foremost authority on Black folklore.
Film available on Eventive platform.
A Quiet Word
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Eaton House, 1203 K St NW, Washington D.C.
Immerse yourself in 20-minute silent reading sessions with intermittent 10 minute breaks to share your literary discoveries and insights one-on-one with fellow book enthusiasts. Throughout the evening, groove to “Jimmy’s Playlist,” a curated selection of music that influenced James Baldwin’s life and writing.
BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) or read one of ours, provided by Penguin Random House.
In partnership with
Isisara Bey, Host
Artistic Director, March On
“The
ability to read awoke inside of me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive. My alma mater was books, a good library…. I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.”
March On Immersive Salon
Opening Reception
Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Eaton Cinema, 1201 K St NW, Washington, D.C.
What is Immersive?
Immersive can refer to experiences, media content, or types of storytelling that make you feel like you are a part of the story. This may be achieved through a number of formats including:
• VR (virtual reality)
• AR (augmented reality)
• Large-scale projections
Spend the evening immersed in conversations about our current tech landscape and what the future can hold for all of us. The evening will begin with a panel discussion on the storytelling possibilities within immersive media where art and technology.
Panelists
Cara Page, Black Queer Feminist, Cultural Memory Worker, Organizer & Founder, Changing Frequencies
Alia ElKattan, Researcher and Creative Technologist
LaJuné McMillian, New Media Artist and Creative Technologist
March On Immersive Salon
Film Screening: Love Machina
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Run time: 1 hr 36 min
Directed by Peter Sillen
Location: Eaton Cinema, 1201 K St NW, Washington, D.C.
Love Machina
What if love could last beyond our mortal bodies? Meet Martine and Bina Rothblatt, two futurists who have commissioned a humanoid robot so they can house Bina’s consciousness and extend their love affair into infinity and beyond.
The screening is followed by a talkback on creative futures that transcend avatars.
Immersive Salon Open House
Friday, October 11 & Saturday, October 12, 2024
Curated by Aja Q. Evans
Location: Eaton Hotel, Barnett-Aden Room 1201 K St NW, Washington, D.C.
March On Immersive approaches the power of storytelling with technical innovations of the past and future. Showcasing bold and intimate experiences that reveal the algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) behind our social platforms, project room scale motion capture portraits, and virtual reality (VR) world building with our ancestors. Join us where artists and communities are creating new forms of teaching, technology and transcendence.
Experience these three exciting new works in one of the following sessions. Allow yourself 45 min for the full experience.
Friday, 10/11 & Saturday 10/12 (Select a Session)
MARCH ON Immersive Salon
Immersive Salon | Afternoon Session 11 am - 3 pm
Immersive Salon | Evening Session 3 pm - 7 pm
Workshop | AI & Algorithms: Demystifying Our Social Media Feeds
Friday 5:30 pm -7 pm
Saturday 3:30 pm - 5 pm
Psalm for the Mismemoried
Friday, October 11 & Saturday, October 12, 2024
Run time: 9 min
Director: Cara Page
Cinemotography: Philip A. Sanchez
VR Sound Engineer: Carlos Johns-Davila
Featuring: Tamika Middleton & Adaku Utah
Psalm for the Mismemoried is a story of an ancestor named Future who travels across time & space to take mismemoried ancestors home from historical sites of medical harm. She is arriving at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Georgia, to meet Hattie, a former patient and worker who was left behind. The future has come to take her home. Filmed in 360° video, this experimental and historical drama takes place on the actual campus of the Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, GA.
Cara Page is a Black Queer Feminist cultural memory worker, organizer and co-architect of Kindred Collective, and a veteran organizer with LGBTQI+, Black, Indigenous & People of Color liberation movements. She is founder of Changing Frequencies designing cultural memory work to disrupt violence from the Medical Industrial Complex; and co-founder of the Healing Histories Project deepening relationships between abolitionist healers/ health practitioners, and researchers and historians. She is co-editor of the anthology, “Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care & Safety” (North Atlantic Books, 2023).
Cara Page
Immersive Project: The Algorithm?
Friday, October 11 & Saturday, October 12, 2024
Creators: Alia ElKattan, Lujain Ibrahim
Run time: 5 - 15 min
The Algorithm? is an interactive experience simulating algorithmically-curated video feeds (such as TikTok and Instagram reels) to break down and demystify the algorithms powering our digital ecosystems. The user interacts with a video feed of creative coding animations that vary in color, shape, and template based on the user’s preferences and engagement signals (e.g., likes, bookmarks), allowing them to see and understand the process of personalization in real time. Throughout, key concepts and debates on algorithmic recommendation and amplification are explored, as well as associated dilemmas and trade-offs.
Creators
Alia ElKattan
Alia ElKattan is a researcher and creative technologist examining the sociopolitical implications of emerging technologies. As an NYU PhD candidate, Alia researches the sociopolitical implications of the design & development of emerging technologies. She is a two-time winner of Mozilla’s Creative Media Award, and has worked at The Washington Post and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center.
Lujain Ibrahim
Lujain Ibrahim is a researcher and creative technologist examining interaction-specific harms, such as those from anthropomorphic AI systems. She is a PhD candidate in social data science at the University of Oxford. She has been a fellow at Centre for Governance of AI, Digital Asia Hub, and The Montreal AI Ethics Institute. She has also worked on AI ethics research at Google DeepMind and trust and safety at OpenAI.
The Portal’s Keeper
Friday, October 11 & Saturday, October 12, 2024
Creator: LaJuné McMillian
Run time: 20 min
Sounds by: LAMB, Rena Anakwe, RaFia Santana, MaryAnn Talavera, Zeelia Brown, Nia Witherspoon
The Portal’s Keeper - A Child’s Journey follows the journey of LaJuné’s inner child diving into an alternate reality through meditation and prayer. Particles radiate from their young avatar - an abstract representation of the energy we access and emit when we are able to move through the world freely. The piece is part of a larger body of work including performances and XR installations exploring themes of embodiment, inner child healing, spirituality, and liberation.
The world unfurls into a blend of clouds, fractals, water and other natural elements. A visual representation of freedom in a fractalized universe. How would you move through the world if no limitations were placed on you, outside of space, time, and other constructs?
Creator
LaJuné McMillian
LaJuné McMillian is a new media artist, and Creative Technologist creating art that integrates performance, extended reality, and physical computing to question our current forms of communication. McMillian has shown and spoken about their work at Pioneer Works, National Sawdust, Leaders in Software and Art, Creative Tech Week, and Art & Code’s Weird Reality. The artist was previously the Director of Skating at Figure Skating in Harlem, where they integrated STEAM and Figure Skating to teach girls of color about movement and technology. They have continued their research on Blackness, Movement, and Technology during residencies at Eyebeam, Pioneer Works Barbarian Group, and Barnard College.
“But surely to tell these tall tales and others like them would be to spread the myth, the wicked lie, that the past is always tense and the future, perfect.”
- Zadie Smith
AI & Algorithms: Demystifying Our Social Media Feeds
Friday, October 11 & Saturday, October 12, 2024
Facilitators: Alia ElKattan, Lujain Ibrahim
Location: Eaton Hotel, Eaton Cinema, 1201 K. St. NW Washington D.C.
In this workshop, participants will examine their relationships to social media and break down the algorithm: how it works, doesn’t work, and how it could be different. Facilitators Alia and Lujain, of Decifer Studio, will offer a behindthe-scenes look at the design & development of their game “The Algorithm,” one of the showcased projects in the festival’s Immersive Salon. They’ll explain the tradeoffs and decisions involved in using creative technology and storytelling to build public tech literacy projects. Participants will leave the workshop with a better understanding of how AI and algorithms shape our digital experiences. Come learn the ins and outs of building public-facing projects that creatively and critically examine technology!
“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”
-Octavia Butler
March On the Atlanta Fine Art Print Fair
Friday, October 11, 2024 - Sunday, October 13, 2024
Time: Friday & Saturday 12 pm - 8 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 4 pm
Location: Eaton Hotel, Crystal Room, 1201 K. St. NW Washington D.C.
This Art Fair and Open House, presented by Black Art in America, showcases hundreds of works by dozens of artists including a curated selection from legacy and contemporary African American printmakers, and highlights works by several renowned D.C. artists. Works in other genres, such as sculptures and paintings will also be presented, with plenty of items for sale.
Opening reception: Friday, October 11, 2024 | 12 pm - 1:30 pm
Film Screening: Searching for Augusta Savage
Friday, October 11, 2024
Showing Times: 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
Run time: 22 min
Followed by Talkback with Sandy Rattley, Executive Producer/Director
Location: Eaton Hotel, Eaton Cinema, 1201
K St. NW Washington, D.C.
Searching for Augusta Savage
Augusta Savage was the first person in the U.S. to open a gallery dedicated to African American art. A Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art educator, she was also one of the first Black women art activists of her time and fought for the inclusion of Black artists in the mainstream canon. Art historian Jeffreen M. Hayes, Ph.D. explores Savage’s legacy, and why her artwork has been largely erased.
Sandy Rattley
Sandy Rattley has over 40 years experience leading and launching multimedia projects. With Charlotte Mangin, she is co-founder of Audacious Women Productions.
Film Screening: A
Mother Apart
Friday, October 11, 2024
Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Run time: 1 hr 30 min
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
A Mother Apart
A Mother Apart is an intimate, intergenerational exploration of mothering, told through the eyes and words of powerhouse Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin. Weaving past and present, verité and animation, the film follows Chin as she navigates raising an empowered Black daughter while seeking out the truth about her own mother, who abandoned her as a child. What she uncovers will set her on a courageous, globe-spanning journey towards becoming the mother she never had.
Talkback with director after the film.
Laurie Townshend
Director Laurie Townshend’s films include The Railpath Hero, Human Frequency Streetdocs, and Charley
Memoirs in the Movement
Friday, October 11, 2024
Time: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
Join us for an intimate exploration of personal narratives from past and contemporary activists who have shaped civil rights history. We’ll hear from three justice activists, shaped by just these factors, who have turned their insights into books that inspire action and shape policy.
Panelists
Nii-Quartelai Quartey
Political journalist, talk show host, and author of Kamala, The Motherland and Me which chronicles his journey to his paternal homeland with VP Kamala Harris on her historic trip to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia.
Dara Baldwin
20-year activist and author of To Be A Problem: A Black Woman’s Survival in the Racist Disability Rights Movement, a searing critique of the disability rights movement from within, and a call for collective liberation that is pro-Black and centers disabled people of color.
Staceyann Chin
Poet, actor, and performing artist Staceyann Chin is the author of Crossfire: A Litany For Survival, The Other Side of Paradise, and cowriter/original performer in the Tony Award–winning Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway
Sheldon Scott, Moderator
Visual and performing artist
The Legends:
A Conversation with Walter Mosley, Faith Childs, Malaika Adero & W. Paul Coates
Friday, October 11, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
Listen in on a stimulating dialogue with these pioneers, creative lights and longtime colleagues in the contemporary publishing world, from writers and agents, to editors and publishers.
Panelists
Walter Mosley
Prolific author of over 50 crime fiction, novels, and non-fiction books including his newest Farewell, Amethystine, also Fearless Jones, Every Man A King and The Man In My Basement; and filmed adaptations of his works: Devil in a Blue Dress starring Denzel Washington; Always Outnumbered with Laurence Fishburne: and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey starring Samuel L. Jackson.
W. Paul Coates,
Founder and publisher, Black Classic Press. Started in 1978, BCP is one of the oldest independently owned Black publishing companies operating in the U.S., highlighting original works by Walter Mosley, John Henrik Clark, Josef Ben Yochanon, and reissuing works by Amiri Baraka, J.A. Rogers, W.E.B., Du Bois and many more.
Faith Childs
Founder, Faith Childs Literary Agency. Since 1990, this independent, full service agency has represented noted novelists, memoirists, biographers and journalists, including several winners of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, MacArthur Fellowship and more.
Malaika Adero
Founder/owner, Adero’s Literary Tribe, book development LLC; Executive Editor, AUWA Books at Farrar, Straus & Giroud, founded by Ahmir Thompson aka Questlove; author of Up South: Stories, Studies, and Letters of This Century’s African American Migrations; former senior editor, Altria Books/Simon & Schuster.
Jamal Simmons, Moderator
Jamal Simmons is the creator and co-host of TrailBlaze: the podcast about the America we’re becoming — and a Political Commentator on CNN. Before that he was Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director to Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. Free with RSVP
Film
Screening: It Was All a Dream
Friday, October 11, 2024
Run time: 1 hr 23 min
Time: 9:00 pm -10:30 pm
Location: Eaton Hotel, Cinema 1201 K St. NW Washington, D.C
A visual memoir from director dream hampton’s personal archives about the dawn of the golden era of hip hop. It takes viewers inside the studio with intimate access to some of rap’s most celebrated minds, including hampton’s neighbor The Notorious BIG, Wu Tang’s Method Man, Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg and many more. With narration constructed from dream’s previous work as the astonishing footage unfolds, she provides insight and personal context to this era of hip-hop.
Film Competition Finalists Screenings
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Ticket price: Free with RSVP
Time: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Location: Eaton Hotel, Cinema 1201 K St. NW Washington, D.C.
Debuting in 2016, the Student and Emerging Filmmaker Competitions gives filmmakers the opportunity to use cinematic storytelling to answer important themes like “what’s your civil right?” and “speaking truth to power.” The annual short film competition receives over 150 submissions from across the world. An esteemed jury of civil rights, industry leaders, and established filmmakers select the winners, and the shortlisted films are screened during the festival.
Now in its eighth year, the competition has continued to attract industry supporters, including a diverse portfolio of funders. Prizes for this competition are funded in part by the generosity of Deborah Zipser and Craig Emanuel.
Opal H. Bennett, Host Director of the Student & Emerging Filmmaker
Competition, Emmy-winning Executive Producer, POV
Shorts and Senior Producer, POV.
2:30 pm - Competition winners will be announced in all categories.
Description of the Finalists Films
Student Narrative Shorts
(TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 33 MIN)
Mon Afrique | Director/Producer: Michael Thomas Solomon
Mon Afrique is an experimental student short, shot on film, that explores the experience of diaspora and longing through the journey of a hand-carved traditional African mask. (USA, 4 MIN)
The Ally | Director/Producer: Jennifer Marie
Jan Snyder is in love with black culture and hip-hop. She works her dream job at a record label as the Director of A&R’s assistant. (USA, 11 MIN)
Anywhere the Wind Blows | Director: Jay Liu; Producers: Dalton Zongshian Lu, Allegro Yang
Alex is an activist who moved from Hong Kong to the US in fear of political persecution. As he is trying to rebuild his life, his ex-boyfriend Brandon unexpectedly visits him, rekindling unresolved desires. (USA, 18 MIN)
Student Documentary Shorts
(TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 48 MIN)
For Those That Lived There | Director/Producer: Shawn Antoine II
Amidst the gentrified remnants of Chicago’s Cabrini Green, For Those That Lived There captures the haunting displacement of Black legacies and the emergence of migrant narratives, offering an evocative exploration of a community in metamorphosis. (USA, 6 MIN)
Freedom Waders: The Struggle to Integrate Chicago’s Rainbow Beach
Director/Producer: Alex S. Hinton
Inspired by sit-in campaigns of the South, Velma Murphy and Norman Hill organized wade-ins at Chicago’s Rainbow Beach, braving mob violence. (USA, 15 MIN)
Half-Brother | Director/Producer: William J Jenkins
While documenting the birth of his niece, Director William Jenkins leads a series of intimate conversations with his father and half-brother — both named Ronald — as he confronts the impacts of Ronald’s incarceration on family dynamics. (USA, 27 MIN)
Emerging Narrative Shorts
(TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 43 MIN)
Fannie | Director/Producer: Christine Swanson
Mississippi civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer gives an impassioned speech at the 1964 Democratic National Convention and a prophetic warning to America. (USA, 10 MIN)
Lyrical | Director: Carter M. Stewart; Producers: Tristan Daley, Carter M. Stewart
A privileged, Black law student, trying to escape pressure from his dad, finds himself in a potential police violence situation. (USA, 18 MIN)
A Lien | Director: Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz; Producer: Tara Sheffer
On the day of their green card interview, a young couple confronts a dangerous immigration process. (USA, 15 MIN)
Emerging Documentary Shorts
(TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 44 MIN)
“I Identify as Me” | Director/Producer: Tina Colleen, Monick Monell
Through the intimate lens of eight Black & Brown Trans, gender-diverse people, and masculine-presenting women, the social concept of gender is challenged. (USA, 10 MIN)
The Purpose | Director/Producer: Dan Abrusci
Born with a disability, a young music enthusiast is lured into a life of crime and spends a decade in jail after hanging with the wrong people. He discovers his purpose in jail: to help at-risk youth and prevent them from making the same mistakes he did. (USA, 10 MIN)
1001cuts | Director/Producer: Sarah M Temkin
Explore the careers of the daughters of Title IX through the experiences of surgeons facing pervasive stereotypes and gender-based discrimination. (USA, 24 MIN)
Films available on Eventive platform.
Below the Surface: A History In African American Printmaking
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: Eaton Hotel, Crystal Room, 1201 K St. NW Washington, D.C
Listen in on a rare conversation with two masterful printmakers from the DC area as we unpack the rich tradition of printmaking as a medium for artistic expression.
Panelists
Najee Dorsey, Artist, Founder and CEO of Black Art In America
Percy Martin, Artist and educator
Ed McCluney, Painter, printmaker and educator
“ The writer cannot expect to be excused from the task of reeducation and regeneration that must be done. In fact, he should march right in front.”
-Chinua Achebe
And the Word Was Good
A day of celebrating books presented in partnership with Penguin Random House
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Planet Word Auditorium, 925 13th St. NW Washington, D.C.
Step inside the dynamic world of publishing, from the pivotal roles of agents who scout talent to editors who refine manuscripts, every step is essential in bringing captivating stories to life. Penguin Random House stands as a cornerstone of the publishing industry, renowned for its rich history and dedication to nurturing literary talent. Join us for an insightful exploration of the inner workings of Penguin Random House, where creativity, innovation, and passion converge to shape the future of storytelling.
1:00 PM Commemorating The Prophet
Join us for a reading in honor of the 101st anniversary of this classic book of 26 prose poems, written by the acclaimed Lebanese-American writer, Khalil Gibran. With Isisara Bey and violinist Keith Colon, Jr.
1:30 PM Get On the Banned Wagon: The Fight for Books
This survey of Penguin Random House’s current legal actions in defense of books, authors, the right to read and be read, and the free flow of ideas and perspectives that is a hallmark of American Democracy is presented by Ojasvinee (OJ) Singh, Legal Fellow, PRH.
2:00 PM Talking Book - How to Be An Audiobook Narrator
Do you know what it takes to read and record a book out loud? Find out how best to prepare, what vocal skills are needed, and how to get hired as a narrator. Then take a turn at the mic to test out your narration abilities!
Presenters
Karen Murray, Veteran voice actor for audiobooks, radio and television commercials, documentary films, and platforms including Hulu, iHeartRadio, Lifetime Television, and Discovery ID
Julie Wilson, Lead, PRH Casting, and Co-Founder, Ahab Talent casting platform.
3:00 pm Opening the Book on Publishing: The Women Innovating Penguin Random House
Join a roundtable discussion on vital topics in the publishing industry with executives representing various departments of the publishing powerhouse.
Panelists
Kim Shariff, EVP, Strategy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Susette Brooks, Dir, Inclusive Marketing
Lara Phan, VP, Account Marketing & Event Strategy
Jamia Wilson, Moderator VP & Executive Editor, Random House
“A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.”
-Toni Morrison
4:00 PM Special presentation: African Traditions in the Novels of Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison scholar, Dr. Kokahvah ZaudituSelassie explores a wide range of complex concepts, including African deities, ancestral ideas, spiritual archetypes, mythic trope, and lyrical prose that appear in novels The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and more.
Mama Koko is a retired chair of African World Studies and History at Morris Brown University and associate professor at Morgan State University. She is the recipient of fellowships from Fulbright, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Council for Black Studies. Mama Koko is featured in the Netflix film, In Our Mothers Gardens, and is an Obatala priest in the Yoruba system and a Mama Nganga in the Kongo spiritual tradition.
Processional led by King Salim Ajanku, Master African drummer; Founding Co-director and Lead Facilitating Artist, Creative Strategies for Change
Presenting Lovely One: A Memoir with Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Time: Doors open at 6:00 pm, Taping at 7:00 pm sharp
Location: National Archives, William G. McGowan Theater 701 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C.
This event is a live taping of New York Public Radio’s nationally syndicated podcast, Notes From America With Kai Wright.
Host Kai Wright and Justice Jackson talk one-on-one about her new memoir, an unflinching account of her life and world, tracing her family’s ascent from segregation to her confirmation on America’s highest court as the first Black justice within the span of one generation.
Kai Wright
“ The act of writing requires a constant plunging back into the shadow of the past where time hovers ghostlike.”
-Ralph Ellison
The Gathering Table
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Ticket price: $65.00
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: AutoShop at Union Market, 416 Morse St. NE, Washington, D.C.
Our closing event connects cookbooks to the nurturing of the civil rights movement, and the role of our ancestral food legacy in culture, health, land and freedom.
A Southern-inspired meal, including some of Dr. King’s favorite dishes, will be served family style, featuring some of the dishes and beverages that have sustained our people across continents and throughout decades. At communal tables, guests will savor our history on a plate, engage in an exchange of stories on how the making and sharing of meals has and continues to unite and strengthen us as a people.
The Gathering Table’s multi-course meal is curated by Chef Keith Corbin. This two-time James Beard Award nominated executive chef, co-owner of
LA restaurant Alta Adams, is also the bestselling author of California Soul: An American Epic of Cooking and Survival, his memoir about gangs, drugs, cooking, and living life on the line—both in the kitchen and on the streets. Chef will explain the provenance of the dishes served, and speak about his mission regarding food, cooking and community. The menu includes vegetarian options as well as cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.
Featuring
• A performance by Women of the Calabash, a percussion and vocal ensemble devoted to music from across the African diaspora.
• A special tribute to the late Octavia Butler’s Afrofuturistic masterpiece, Parable of the Sower.
• Guests will also receive recipe handouts. Signed copies of Chef Corbin’s book will be available for purchase at the event, courtesy of Mahogany Books
March On Gala Award Recipients
Reginald Dwayne Betts
March On Award Winner
Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, lawyer, and advocate for criminal justice reform whose work explores the intersection of literature, law, and social justice. A formerly incarcerated individual, Betts turned his life around through education, earning a B.A. from the University of Maryland, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. His powerful poetry, found in collections such as Felon and Shahid Reads His Own Palm, gives voice to the experiences of incarceration, race, and redemption. Betts is also the founder of Freedom Reads, a nonprofit organization that places books in prisons, fostering education and personal growth among incarcerated individuals. His advocacy extends beyond the written word, as he works to reform the criminal justice system and improve the lives of marginalized communities. Betts’ profound contributions to both the arts and social justice make him a transformative figure in contemporary America.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
March On Award Winner
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is an acclaimed actress and activist whose work spans television, film, and theater. Born in Mississippi, she has garnered critical acclaim for her powerful performances in projects like King Richard, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. Ellis-Taylor is known for her ability to portray complex, multifaceted characters, often highlighting the strength and resilience of Black women throughout history.Beyond her acting career, Ellis-Taylor is a known for her ability to portray complex, multifaceted characters, often highlighting the
the strength and resilience of Black women throughout history. Beyond her acting career, Ellis-Taylor is a passionate advocate for social justice. She played a significant role in the campaign to remove the Confederate emblem from the Mississippi state flag, using her platform to fight for racial equality. Her commitment to civil rights continues in her upcoming portrayal of Fannie Lou Hamer in the biopic Fannie, where she will bring the story of the iconic civil rights leader to life. Ellis-Taylor’s dedication to both the arts andactivism makes her a powerful voice for change.
Congressman Steny Hoyer
Congressman Steny Hoyer is a distinguished American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 5th congressional district since 1981. A prominent member of the Democratic Party, Congressman Hoyer has played a pivotal role in shaping policy and advancing progressive causes throughout his career. He has held key leadership positions, including serving as House Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023, making him one of the most influential Democrats in Congress. Born in New York City, Congressman Hoyer was raised in Maryland, where he would go on to earn a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland and a law degree from Georgetown University. His political career began in the Maryland State Senate, where he became the youngest president in its history. Congressman Hoyer has been a fierce advocate for civil rights, economic equality, and healthcare reform. Throughout his time in Congress, he has worked to protect Social Security, support voting rights, and champion job creation through infrastructure investment. Known for his bipartisan approach to governance, Congressman Hoyer has built a reputation for working across the aisle to achieve meaningful legislative progress.With over four decades of public service, Congressman Hoyer remains committed to advancing the welfare of his constituents and the nation as a whole, particularly in his home state of Maryland.
John H. Lewis Lifetime Legacy Award Winner
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