By Fern Gillespie
The Brooklyn Book Festival 2022, which features over 100 literary events from September 25 through October 2, will spotlight a special conversation between award-winning African American author Jacqueline Woodson and acclaimed Latina novelist and memoirist Esmeralda Santiago on Sunday October 2 at 5:00pm at Borough Hall Courtroom, 209 Joralemon Street.
Poet Camille Rankine, co-chair, Brooklyn Literary Council, will host the introductions of Santiago, Brooklyn Book Festival’s 2022 Bobi honoree and author of When I Was Puerto Rican, Almost a Woman, and Conquistadora and 2015 Bobi honoree Woodson, award-winning writer of books for adults, children, and adolescents, including Brown Girl Dreaming, After Tupac and Another Brooklyn.

Throughout the week, Brooklyn Book Festival 2022, has hosted literary-themed Bookend events live and online that brought poetry, film, and performances to all five boroughs. On Saturday, October 1, Children’s Day celebrates with live childhood reading with workshops, performances, readings and more. This year’s main Festival Day and Literary Marketplace on Sunday, October 2, returns to parks, plazas and venues surrounding Brooklyn Borough Hall with more than 50 programs and events throughout the day.

Brooklyn Book Festival 2022 features many multicultural authors and poets-Black, Asian and Latino. October 2 is packed with programs. One highlight is a round table talk with Black women romance writers entitled “Happily Ever After.” Authors include Adriana Herrera, A Caribbean in Paris; K. M. Jackson, How To Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days and LaQuette, Vanessa Jared’s Got a Man. These writers will examine just how far their feisty heroines will go for love. It’s moderated by Monique Patterson, VP and Editorial Director at St. Martin’s Press.
Several veteran Black journalists will be presenting. Linda Villarosa, New York Times health writer and author of Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives. Jabari Asim, former NAACP Crisis editor-in-chief and author of 13 children’s books and eight for adults. Music journalist and editor Danyel Smith, author of Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop and Kelefa Sanneh, author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres.

Exploring the issue of abolition are Mariame Kaba, No More Police: A Case for Abolition, co-authored with Andrea J. Ritchie; Derecka Purnell, Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom, and Marlon Peterson ,Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist’s Freedom Song and Hafizah Augustus Geter, The Black Period: On Personhood, Race, and Origin.
Other noted Black authors speaking on October 2 are Tiffany D. Jackson, author of Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming; poet Omotara James, author of Song of My Softening and chapbook Daughter Tongue; poet and scholar Naomi Extra, author of chapbook Ratchet Supreme; Ladee Hubbard, author of The Rib King and The Talented Ribkins; Ebony LaDelle, author of Love Radio; Nicole A. Taylor writer and master home cook, author of Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations; Regine L. Sawyer founder of the Women in Comics Collective International; Alexis Hoag-Fordjour, co-director of Brooklyn Law School Center for Criminal Justice, Scholastique Mukasonga, author of Our Lady of the Nile and Barefoot Woman; Angela Garbes, author of Like a Mother; Kendra James, a founding editor of Shondaland.com; Nana Nkweti, author Walking on Cowrie Shells; Tiphanie Yanique, author of Land of Love and Drowning and Debbie Rigaud, co-author of Simone Breaks All the Rules. In addition, Lisa Lucas, Senior Vice President of Pantheon and Schocken Books will be a panel moderator.

“As a fearless advocate of literature, I’m thrilled to host the 2022 Brooklyn Book Festival, the first in my role as your Brooklyn Borough President,” announced Antonio Reynoso.” As we witness bans on our beloved books around the country, know that in Brooklyn you’ll always be able to access the books you crave or simply have curiosity about.”

For the Brooklyn Book Festival agenda, visit brooklynbookfestival.org/