The Center for Black Literature announces the return of the annual National Black Writers Conference, taking place March 27 - March 29, 2025, at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights.
This year the conference will celebrate Black Young Adult (YA) and Middle Grade (MG) literature, a genre that has flourished over the last two decades. These works are celebrated for their transformative power in cultivating critical reading and writing habits across generations, affirming self-esteem, literacy, identity and the significance of Black authors in shaping diverse literary landscapes.
The symposium will also honor the unparalleled contributions of literary titans Tony Medina and Rita Williams-Garcia.
The 2025 Symposium also marks a new chapter for the Center for Black Literature with the appointment of Donna Hill, a bestselling author, professor at Medgar Evers College, and literary advocate, as the new executive director. Hill, succeeding Dr. Brenda Greene, brings decades of expertise in literature and academia. She has authored over 100 books and is a leader in amplifying Black narratives in publishing.
The Keynote Conversation and Award Ceremony will be moderated by Jacqueline Woodson, with featured authors including Derrick Barnes, Ibi Zoboi, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and Tracey Baptiste, among others.
All of these authors write to enlighten, educate and entertain the next generation of readers, writers and scholars, Hill told BK Reader.
“They tap into the issues and voices of our younger generation. Their stories let our young people know that they are seen, that they are important, and what they think and feel is valued,” she said.
Hill reminds conference attendees about the importance of tapping the next generation of readers.
“How many of us grew up without seeing images of ourselves in books? And now with the on-going assault on books and the systematic attempts to erase and or re-write history, the work of the Center for Black Literature is more important than ever. Our hope for this conference, as always, is to support and celebrate the importance of Black literature in all of its technicolor dimensions,” she said.
Medina, a poet, scholar and a two-time winner of The Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, is the author/editor of sixteen books for adults and young readers. He emphasized the importance for writers of color to not take the current political climate as a setback, despite describing the “erasure” of minority, trans, LGBTQ+ cultures and communities as “dangerous and appalling.”
“We need to really fight because the more stories that come out, they are really helpful for young people as they forge their identity and assert themselves in society,” he said.
As education policy under the second Trump administration radically changes, it is also important to keep writing and publishing books that represent different culture, class and sex, because books are where the youth get exposed to the plight of others.
“Literature is a tool for young minds,” Medina said. “Literature is always the place to go for self-learning, self-growth. All types of stories help to create empathy and sensitivity.”
Medina said Dr. Greene’s tireless efforts to unite Black writers, who continually battle forces that seek to deny language and truth, through an annual symposium create a powerful ripple effect
When you see people in-person, hear people speak on stage, and then you see a crowd of people surrounding an author or speaker, it is “truly inspiring,” Medina said. “It changes people’s lives, it transforms people.”
Thursday, March 27
Youth Day: Writing Workshops and Readings of MG and YA Authors
Creative Writing Workshops for Students Involved in CBL's ROLL (Re-envisioning Our Lives Through Literature) Middle School, High School, and Primary School Students
3:30pm to 5:00pm
Dr. Edith Rock Elders | Writers Workshop Reading
7:00pm to 8:30pm
Poetry Readings by MG, YA, College and Youth Poets
Presented in collaboration with the Central Brooklyn Public Library
Friday, March 28
Scholarly Panels and Writing, Publishing, and Professional Development Workshops and Virtual Presentations
10:00am to 11:30am
Panel One: Scholarship on themes in MG and YA Literature
11:45am to 1:15pm
Panel Two: Scholarship on themes in MG and YA Literature
1:30pm to 2:45pm
Panel Three: Scholarship on themes in MG and YA Literature
4:00pm to 6:00pm
Writing, Publishing, and Professional Development Workshops on Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature
Writing for Middle Grade and Young Adults
Publishing for Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature
Author: Jennifer Baker
Publishing for Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature
Sponsored by Patrick Oliver, Say It Loud! Readers and Writers, LLC, and Dr. Tiffeni Fontno, Director of the Peabody Library at Vanderbilt University
7:00pm to 8:30pm
NBWC2025 Biennial Symposium Welcome Reception
Saturday, March 29
Roundtable Discussions
10:00am to 11:30am
Expanding Voices in MG and YA Speculative Fiction
Authors: Tracey Baptiste, Derrick Barnes, and Lamar Giles
Moderator & Partner: Patrick Oliver, Say It Loud! Readers and Writers, LLC
Panelists, led by moderator Patrick Oliver, will share their experiences and techniques on how and when to bend reality to engage readers while weaving in themes and messages of friendship, family, love, loss, self-esteem, and more.
12:00pm to 1:30pm
Explorations of Gender & Identity in MG and YA Literature
Authors: Jay Coles, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Dr. Nazera Sadiq Wright
Moderator & Partner: Asari Beale, Teachers & Writers Collaborative
This panel of writers, led by moderator Asari Beale, examines the importance of gender and identity in YA and MG Fiction and how they can be used as tools to craft compelling narratives.
2:00pm to 3:30pm
The Matter of Black Lives in MG and YA Literature
Authors: Alicia Williams, Ibi Zoboi, and Tiffany Jackson
Moderator & Partner: Wade Hudson, Just Us Books
Wade Hudson leads this timely discussion on Black Lives, the preservation of culture in Black literature, specifically the themes and issues that resonate with youth, and how and why representation is essential in YA and MG literature.
4:00pm to 5:30pm
Pathways to Joy, Courage, and Healing in MG and YA Literature
Authors: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Liara Tamani, and Jenn Baker
Moderator & Partner: Cheryl Willis Hudson, Just Us Books
Moderator Cheryl Hudson leads this discussion on how the panelists tackle the challenge of intertwining themes of healing, joy, and self-affirmation into their narratives to support young people’s navigation of life's difficulties while trying to find their place in the world.
6:00pm to 7:30pm
Keynote Conversation and Presentation of National Black Writers Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature
Honorees: Tony Medina and Rita Williams-Garcia
Moderator: Jacqueline Woodson
For registration and ticket information, click here.
