Event Lectures and Symposia Poetry Unlocks Us: YA Novels in Verse with Safia Elhillo and Tony Keith Jr.

Date and Location

  • When: Saturday, August 24, 2024

    2:50 pm - 3:50 pm EDT

  • Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)

    801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, Washington, DC 20001

Part of National Book Festival ; 2024 National Book Festival

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

What can poetry unlock within yourself? Samira in Safia Elhillo’s “Bright Red Fruit” encounters  a threat to her reputation, but her discovery of slam poetry helps her navigate identity, authenticity and community. In his YA memoir “How the Boogeyman Became a Poet,” Tony Keith Jr. explores the pitfalls and freedom of accepting his identity, his self-exploration made possible by poetry. Moderated by Untia Bigelow.

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