For more info: http://www.mec.cuny.edu/spcd/caddi/cbl_nbwc.asp

 
 
The National Black Writers Conference Bi-Annual Symposium will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009, 11 AM – 5 PM at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.  This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Life and Work of Octavia E. Butler”.  Butler is considered a master storyteller in the genre of speculative fiction.  Her work explores themes such as race, gender, power, sexism, and spirituality.  This symposium is dedicated to exploring her work in particular and the impact of speculative fiction in the literature of Black writers.
“Octavia E. Butler was the first black woman to come to international prominence as a science fiction writer and she has influenced a generation of authors as well as a diverse general public who still eagerly look for her work,” said Dr. Brenda Greene, Conference Director and Executive Director of the Center for Black Literature. “Our celebration of her work and life is a testament to her impact on literature and a fulfillment of our mission to expanding the literary canon.”
The program features readings and panels on the world renowned author and her contribution to literary writing.  Participating writers include L.A. Banks, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due and Nnedi Okorafor.
Registration Begins at 10 am.
No pre-registration at this time.
The National Black Writers Bi-Annual Symposium is co-sponsored by the English Department and the Up South International Book Festival and is made possible with support from the New York Council for the Humanities and Barnes and Noble.  Our VIP Reception, which is invitation only, is co-sponsored by the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 
Symposium Program
11:00 am – 11:15   Welcome & Opening Remarks
11:15 – 12:15    Reflections on Octavia E. Butler: The Woman, The Writer, The Mentor
Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due and Merrillee Heifetz
Facilitated by Linda A. Duggins
12: 15 – 12:45     “The Book of Martha” Reading of Work of Octavia E. Butler- with Marleen Barr
12:45 – 1:15        Book Signing
1:15 – 2:00           Program Lunch Break – Registrants are encouraged to patronize local businesses.
2:15 – 3:30           Panel Discussion- An Exploration of the Themes in the Work of Octavia E. Butler
Moderated by Brenda M. Greene

Zachari J. Curtis M(other)ship Earthseed: Community Mothering in Feminist Afro-Future Imaginings  Jonathan Scott The Sublime Dimension of Octavia E. Butler Ibi Aanu Zoboi Oya’s Brood: Mythology and the African American Female in the Work of Octavia E. Butler Nicole Goodwin Votives from the Dark Side of the Moon: The Appeal of African American Speculative Fiction

 
3:30 – 5:00    The Presence and Influence of Black Writers in Speculative Fiction
Moderated by Nina Mercer
                   
L.A. Banks and Nnedi Okorafor
5:00 Book signing

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