Concrete Dreamland, Patrick Dougher’s searing memoir about growing up in NYC in the ’70s and ’80s, is a winner of the 2025-2026 New York City Book Award, presented by the New York Society Library. This award, which annually honors a small selection of esteemed titles, is given to books “of literary quality or historical importance that…evoke…
MICHELLE MCKINNEY HAMMONDAuthor www.michellehammond.com Photo Download | Bio Download Michelle McKinney Hammond is the author of more than 40 books, with over two million copies sold worldwide. She is an international speaker, vocalist, Emmy Award-winning television co-host, host of Sunday School Made Simple (Urban Ministries Inc.) airing weekly on YouTube, and convener of the Divine Inspiration for Victorious…
JAMAL SIMMONSAuthor killthespider.substack.com Photo Download | Bio Download Jamal Simmons has been at the nexus of politics and media for three decades. He is currently a CNN political commentator, co-host of the Trailblaze podcast on Politicon and author of Kill the Spider on Substack. Before that, Jamal was deputy assistant to the President and communications…
KIMBERLY MONROE, PH.D.Author www.kimberlyfmonroe.com Photo Download | Bio Download Kimberly F. Monroe, Ph.D. is a writer, cultural curator, and associate professor of Africana Studies based in Washington, DC. A native of South Louisiana, her work examines Black radical traditions, historical memory, and global liberation movements. Her recent writing has appeared in A Gathering Together Literary…
SHATAVIA THOMAS, DMFT, LMFTAuthor www.drshayspeaks.org Photo Download | Bio Download “Dr. Shay,” an Atlanta native, is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and provider of individual, couple, and family therapy, continuing education, and holistic wellness consulting (mindfulness meditation and beginner mat Pilates) through her private practice, Dr. Shay Speaks, LLC. In addition, she has…
by Madison Margolin and Shelby Hartman The definitive user’s guide to the world of psychedelic drugs from the editors of DoubleBlind, the leading psychedelics media platform. Searching for meaning, searching for healing, searching for creativity. Today the community of people who use–or want to use–psychedelics is greater than ever before. And to help newbies and…
Written by Vera Ahiyya Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia It’s Oscar’s first day of second grade, and he’s feeling worried. But with the help of his dad and a couple of deep breaths with a buddy, Oscar is ready! Oscar learns that second grade is full of so many cool new things, including a class pet! Vera…
Seven Million Steps was featured on The View as part of a segment honoring the extraordinary life of activist and comedian Dick Gregory. This breathtaking picture book, written by National Book Award finalist Derrick Barnes with Gregory’s son Christian Gregory, and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award-winner Frank Morrison, tells the story of Dick Gregory’s 3,000-mile…
By Karmetria Dunham Burton, PhD Despite being the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the US, Black women face systemic barriers that threaten to derail their dreams, including lack of funding, racial and gender bias, and a lack of senior advocates in corporate spaces. Dr. Karmetria Dunham Burton, an executive with two decades of corporate experience,…
LYNN BROWNAuthor www.literarylynn.com Photo Download | Bio Download Lynn is a storyteller shaped by place, memory, and the belief that narratives can open doors. For nearly twenty years, she has worked at the intersection of journalism, travel media, and cultural history, unearthing the stories that reveal who we are and how we move through the…
