Lit 16: Third-Quarter Fire Circle

Three! That's the magic number!

Hello Family and welcome new subscribers!

Deesha Philyaw, Kiese Laymon, and I are proud to present the Third-Quarter Fire Circle virtual readings for the Lit 16!

We’ve had a blast putting on these Lit 16 events and are so grateful that you continue to show up in the hundreds to witness them.

The latest reading will be hosted by our peoples at Mahogany Books, our spring 2023 Lit 16 virtual reality is scheduled to feature authors Zain Khalid (Brother Alive), Cleyvis Natera (Neruda on the Park), Tara M. Stringfellow (Memphis), and Dr. Steven W. Thrasher (The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide).

The Lit 16: Third-Quarter Fire Circle Virtual Readings
Mahogany Books
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
7 p.m. ET
Stay Tuned for Registration Info!

You’ll get to know more about Zain, Cleyvis, Tara, and Steven in the coming weeks; stay tuned for future artist profiles. To purchase copies of their books, please visit Mahogany Books’ curated Lit 16 site.

And as an extra added bonus: Lit 16er Dr. Steven W. Thrasher invites you an international cinema retrospective he curated called “Viruses on Film” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Rose Cinema, March 15-23, 2023. The film selections are based on his book, The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide.

We hope to see you at these and future Lit 16 events!

Blessings upon blessings,
Robert

What is the Lit 16?

In the spirit of community over competition, the Lit 16 reading series is how Deesha Philyaw, Kiese Laymon, and I decided to use our platforms to shine a light on emerging writers whose art has impacted, inspired, and moved us in ways that we wanted to honor and share with you.

We could have easily created a Lit 64; there are so many fantastic recent works that we adore. Unfortunately, for many reasons, we are unable to accommodate that large of a scope. However, we do encourage all of our artistic peers to advance toward the directive set forth by the iconic and legendary Ancestor Toni Morrison: “If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

Be sure to follow the #Lit16 hashtag on social media and subscribe to Witness to stay up-to-date on upcoming Lit 16 events. Thank you so very much for joining us in celebration.

The Lit 16: Honoring sixteen emerging literary artists whose works are changing the game.

Are you enjoying the Lit 16? Please share your experiences on social media!