“The audience was packed with college students, high school students, faculty, writers, artists and the general public as Sister Sonia Sanchez expounded on the role of the artist, the power of an interactive audience and on why we must tell our stories and celebrate our men,” reported Dr. Brenda M. Greene, Ph.D, Professor of English, Executive Director, Center for Black Literature.
The writer-scholar read from her latest work, I’m Black When I’m Singing, I’m Blue When I Ain’t, a book of seven plays and three essays which span several decades and represent her critique of the racism and sexism she encountered in the 60’s and 70’s as well as her reflections on the connections between the playwright and the poet. “In the words of Sonia, plays are valuable because they ‘engage people in the audience. Her message for us to support artists was powerful. In her words, the artist has a special challenge for the ‘artist is always suspect.’ She reminded us that ‘People who profess love for artists also destroy artists. Artists give you life so you cannot continue to help destroy those people who give you life.'”