During the weekend, April 23-24, a book festival was held in Los Angeles, California where over 550 authors, poets, musicians, journalists, and celebrities attended and enjoyed the art of literature. Although I did not physically attend, in this blog I will be highlighting the events that stood out to me via social media.
One of the events that were held was a talk about climate change. Many authors enjoy writing climate fiction, which is a genre surrounding climate change that does not involve real people or a real situation. This “escape” helps them find hope in the chaos and the research that is done by each author helps them gain clarity.
Another event that stood out to me was a panel discussion on race in America and how the history of it affects the lives of Black Americans. The panel consisted of Martha S. Jones, a historian who led the discussion along with authors Mia Bay, Anna Malaika Tubbs, and Imani Perry. Each author introduced their book and what it means to them from a racial standpoint.
For instance, Bay’s book “Traveling Black” speaks on the dangers of traveling within America when George Floyd was killed. There are towns in America that are considered “SunDown Towns” where Black people may be killed due to racism. This book sheds light on those anxieties and the authors even considered the triumphs of the civil rights movement “Pyrrhic Victories”.
Although this last topic is not an event, it is to highlight the most joyful moments of the festival. First, Amanda Gorman read one of her pandemic-era poems. She was first recognized when reading a poem for Joe Biden's Inauguration. There were other cute things to do for younger kids such as watching lion puppets and just enjoying buying or socializing around books!
This festival was even a big hit for couples. A millennial couple attended when Karen Martinez-Chung dragged her 38 year old husband Michael Chung on an anniversary outing. They both enjoyed themselves and so did many others.
All in all, this event was centered around gaining knowledge, research, and just having a good time. Those who attended got a breath of fresh air and hopefully new information to tell others. Each event that was offered catered to a certain demographic which is very inclusive and thoughtful.
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