In-Person Author Event

As part of our partnership with The New Literary Project (formerly Simpson Literary Project), author Danielle Evans recipient of the 2021 Joyce Carol Oates Award visited in-person with our youth. This was our first in-person event at the downtown Oakland Girls’ Resource Center in two years! Participants from several of our high school programs attended the book reading, Q&A discussion, and creative writing seminar. One scholar asked why Danielle writes about race, and whether she feels like she is obligated to do so. Danielle went on to share how she doesn’t feel obligated but that she writes about it because it’s a part of her and how she believes in being authentic in her writing.  Another interesting question arose around motivation and how to navigate writing blocks. She gave advice about making writing a practice, about letting the writing flow naturally. Danielle then demonstrated these ideas by facilitating a writing exercise with our scholars. The youth loved engaging with her and are excited to be receiving a copy of her latest book in the coming weeks.