KIDS' LIT AUTHOR TOUR // Sankofa's Pen |
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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. |
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#NBWC2025 // Symposium Honoring Black Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature |
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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. |
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"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. |
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WRITERS // Submit Your YA Book Proposal |
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| 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! |
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SANKOFA // A Journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature |
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| 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.” |
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"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. |
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REFLECTION & REASON // Don't Say A Word (Kibba You Mouth) |
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"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 |
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SUPPORT FOR WRITERS // Copyediting |
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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 |
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