KONNECTION // January 2025

 

TOWN HALL // Missing Ontario Black Boys  Find Ontario’s Missing Boys Town Hall Meeting A call for community members to attend a town hall meeting for the Find Ontario’s Missing Boys movement. This is a critical opportunity to unite, share updates, and demand action for the boys who are still missing from our community.  Thursday, January 23, 2025  6PM - 9PM  Brampton City Hall, 2 Wellington St W  Sign the Petition: Change.org/findontariomissingboys SUPPORT FOR WRITERS // View Our Services Kya Publishing Inc. is dedicated to elevating diverse voices through professional writing and editing services, including: Copyediting your article, manuscript, paper, or other document Copyediting your children's book or novel Resume writing/updates Biography/profile writing Promotional content writing LEARN MORE AT KYAPUBLISHING.COM/EDITING view social media promo NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE // Highlighting Black YA and MG Literature The Center for Black Literature's National Black Writers Conference Biennial Symposium (#NBWC2025) returns Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29, 2025 held in-person and virtually at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. Registration is now open; for more information and symposium details, visit the Center for Black Literature website. DANCEHALL IN PRINT // Authors and Academia We have curated a list of dancehall books (non-fiction, children's, and fiction) from the last 25 years. These texts support the culture by documenting history, analyzing trends and activities, and communicating recommendations, success, ideologies, and other elements of the dancehall reggae music culture. VIEW LIST OF DANCEHALL BOOKS HERE DANCEHALL REBEL // Books for Teens  In the novel Dancehall Rebel, a Caribbean-Canadian teen with big dreams and a love for reggae music navigates family expectations and cultural traditions. Available here from Lorimer Kids (2024). DANCEHALL REBEL is now featured in the Canadian Children's Book Centre's publication, "Best Books for Kids & Teens 2024! REFLECTION & REASON // Vybz Kartel's New Year's Eve Showcase in Kingston, Jamaica The New Year's Eve "Freedom Street" show at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica celebrating Vybz Kartel on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 was a must-see production for reggae and dancehall enthusiasts... READ OUR "FREEDOM STREET" OVERVIEW HERE WRITERS // Submit Your YA Book Proposal Canadian Publisher Lorimer Kids is currently open for children's and teen fiction proposals from experienced writers. Visit their website for complete details and submission guidelines, and join the growing list of diverse authors who are guiding and entertaining our youth through their fiction! RESEARCH PROJECT // Black Canadians To learn more about this project, please contact Kyla Simms at k.simms@mail.utoronto.ca or visit the PROJECT WEBSITE HERE. CONFERENCE // Ontario Library Association The Ontario Library Association is Canada’s largest library organization and OLA’s Super Conference is Canada’s largest continuing education event in librarianship. OLA Super Conference 2025 will take place from January 29th to February 1st, 2025 and is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow library people and expand your knowledge in a fun and immersive environment. Don't miss out on this transformational experience! REGISTRATION DETAILS Be sure to check out the session: "Keeping It Real: Featuring Books with Lived Experiences into Children's and Young Adult Fiction" on January 30, 2025 from 2:15 PM to 3:30 PM Join us for a conversation with members of Sankofa’s Pen, Black Canadian kidlit creators as they discuss their work and explore issues of authenticity, integrity, and appropriation. What is the insight about their lived experiences that they bring into their work? VIEW FULL OLA SUPER CONFERENCE SCHEDULE HERE

KONNECTION // December 2024

 

#NBWC2025 // Symposium Honoring Black Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature The Center for Black Literature's National Black Writers Conference Biennial Symposium (#NBWC2025) returns Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29, 2025 held in-person and virtually at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. "This Symposium, a culturally enriched literary gathering of writers, educators, literary professionals and the general public, specifically targets Young Adult (YA) and Middle Grade (MG) literature by Black authors, a genre that has expanded over the last two decades. This genre serves as an energizing force for cultivating and nurturing the critical reading and writing habits of a cross-generation of readers and writers, helps to affirm students’ self-esteem, literacy, identity, and awareness of the contributions of literature by Black writers." Registration is now open; for more information and symposium details, visit the Center for Black Literature website. REFLECTION & REASON // Sustaining & Communicating Sound System Culture Read our overview of World Bash: New York Edition, a sound system concert that took place at Amazura in Queens, New York on Friday, November 29, presented by Irish and Chin's Sound Chat Radio. "The access is everything. The small things matter too. The ecosystem requires that all elements work together. Every lyric. Every legend. Reggae history is tangible, and we can't take for granted that we are living in significant moments that require preservation. We know this because many of us have witnessed and experienced its power over the course of decades in our lives. Our ancestors knew what they were doing, and alas, so do we..." READ FULL POST HERE DANCEHALL REBEL // A Teen Novel  A Caribbean-Canadian teen with big dreams and a love for reggae music navigates family expectations and cultural traditions in "Dancehall Rebel," available now from Lorimer Kids (2024).  REFLECTION & REASON // Mega (Wo)Men of God "Recognizing that our North American/Western society is going through an odd transition of celebrity life, but also political life, technological life, and an overbearing scrutiny of the truth...the ability to receive, interpret, and implement progressive messaging is limited at best. Limited, but necessary..." READ FULL POST HERE WRITERS // Submit Your YA Book Proposal Canadian Publisher Lorimer Kids is currently open for children's and teen fiction proposals from experienced writers. Visit their website for complete details and submission guidelines, and join the growing list of diverse authors who are guiding and entertaining our youth through their fiction! MEMBERSHIP // The CCBC "The Canadian Children's Book Centre remains the only national organization dedicated to the promotion and support of Canadian books for kids and teens. Our publications, Canadian Children’s Book News and Best Books for Kids & Teens, are the last remaining publications solely focused on reviewing and recommending Canadian children’s books and supporting the world of Canadian children’s literature." Canadian books help children explore the cultures and identities that surround them at school, in their communities and in their own homes. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CCBC SEE YOUR WORK PUBLISHED // Killens Call for Submissions for the Killens Review of Arts & Letters (Spring 2025): Black Youth "For the Spring 2025 issue, the editorial team of the Killens Review seeks short stories, essays, creative nonfiction, poetry, art, and photography. Inspired by the theme of the upcoming NBWC Biennial Symposium, Honoring Black Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature, we are soliciting content that addresses Black children, adolescents, and/or young adults as its primary audience or subject." SUBMISSION DETAILS Deadline extended to December 20, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST. RESEARCH PROJECT // Black Canadians "My name is Kyla Simms, and I am a researcher from the Faculty of Arts and Science in the Sociology Department at the University of Toronto. My research supervisor is Dr. Luisa Farah Schwartzman, also from the University of Toronto. I am conducting a research study about the ways Black second-generation Caribbean-Canadians and African-Canadians experience and understand race, ethnicity, and national belonging in Canada... ...I am looking to speak with individuals who self-identify as Black, who were born and raised in Canada, and have at least one parent who was born in the Caribbean or Africa. Participants should also be 30 years of age or older. A $15 gift card will be provided upon completion of the interview. If you are interested in learning more, please contact me at k.simms@mail.utoronto.ca. To protect your anonymity, please just use Research on Black Canadians in the subject line." VISIT KYLA'S RESEARCH PROJECT WEBSITE SUPPORT FOR WRITERS // Copyediting Kya Publishing provides editing services for independent and professional writers. We ensure your voice and context are preserved while enhancing your clarity and impact. Whether you’re writing fiction, non-fiction, or academic work, we can support you in presenting polished, meaningful content that connects with your audience. VIEW EDITING SERVICES DANCEHALL REBEL // Reggae Playlist Click the image below to listen to songs from Lila Ike, Rita Marley, Shenseea, Ammoye, Etana, and more! Inspired by the teen novel Dancehall Rebel.

KONNECTION // November 2024

 

KIDS' LIT AUTHOR TOUR // Sankofa's Pen This November and December, Sankofa’s Pen presents their 10th Anniversary Ujima and Ujamaa Tour! These pop-ups serve as meet and greets, book signings, and audience and relationship building opportunities with local Black vendors in the Greater Toronto Area. Authors: there is still an opportunity to participate in the Manifest Bookstore event in January--please register by end of day on Thursday, November 28 if interested. For more info, contact sankofaspen@gmail.com or visit @SankofasPen. #NBWC2025 // Symposium Honoring Black Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature The Center for Black Literature's National Black Writers Conference Biennial Symposium (#NBWC2025) returns Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29, 2025 held in-person and virtually at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. "This Symposium, a culturally enriched literary gathering of writers, educators, literary professionals and the general public, specifically targets Young Adult (YA) and Middle Grade (MG) literature by Black authors, a genre that has expanded over the last two decades. This genre serves as an energizing force for cultivating and nurturing the critical reading and writing habits of a cross-generation of readers and writers, helps to affirm students’ self-esteem, literacy, identity, and awareness of the contributions of literature by Black writers." Registration begins on December 1; for more information and symposium details, visit the Center for Black Literature website. WRITERS // Submit Your YA Book Proposal Canadian Publisher Lorimer Kids is currently open for children's and teen fiction proposals from experienced writers. Visit their website for complete details and submission guidelines, and join the growing list of diverse authors who are guiding and entertaining our youth through their fiction! SANKOFA // A Journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature Sankofa: A Journal of African Children’s and Young Adult Literature is preparing for their Summer 2025 (Vol. 15) publication. This issue will focus on the theme “Gendering and Sexuality in African and African Diaspora Children’s and Young Adult Literature.” "Diversity and inclusion have long been essential aspects of children’s and young adult literature. As the world continues to evolve, particularly concerning gender and sexuality, it is imperative that literature for young readers reflects this diversity. Traditionally, heterosexual masculine characters have dominated children’s and young adult fiction, while heterosexual female characters often appeared underrepresented and marginalized. Gender representations in literature have often reinforced heteronormative models, marginalizing non-heteronormative identities. For African and African Diasporic writers, there has been a notable emergence of female voices reflecting their lived experiences as children and young adults. Generally, contemporary authors have been increasingly open to exploring gender and sexuality in their characters, presenting diverse textual forms that reflect characters’ sexualities and behaviors." For article submission guidelines, previous editions, and additional information, visit their website SankofaJournal.com. REFLECTION & REASON // Don't Say A Word (Kibba You Mouth) "They were us. We evolved with them. We partied with them, directly and indirectly. Needless to say, all of the Hollywood/entertainment industry news, and revelations, conspiracies, and headlines are both eerie and sad because as much as the actions and behaviours are ridiculously horrendous, we literally grew up believing in this magic. Not realizing it was actually magic..." READ FULL POST HERE SUPPORT FOR WRITERS // Copyediting Kya Publishing specializes in providing culturally-specific editing services for independent and professional writers. Understanding diverse cultural narratives, we ensure your voice and context are preserved while enhancing your clarity and impact. Our services are offered at competitive rates, making professional editing accessible to writers aiming to share their authentic stories. Whether you’re writing fiction, non-fiction, or academic work, we can support you in presenting polished, meaningful content that connects with your audience. VIEW EDITING SERVICES