Celebrating Black Authors in Palm Springs

“Our Voices Our Stories: Celebrating Black Authors”

PALM SPRINGS– The Palm Springs Public Library and Mizell Center have teamed up to present “Our Voices Our Stories: Celebrating Black Authors” a free community event to kick off Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. 4:30 p.m.

This event will begin with actress and author Jenifer Lewis as the Keynote Speaker. Lewis is one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces, with more than 400 appearances in film and television. Dubbed a “national treasure” by TVGuide.com, Jenifer stared on the Emmy-nominated hit show “Black-ish,” where her hilarious portrayal of Ruby Johnson earned her a nomination for the 2018 Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV comedy series. Her debut book The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir was released and received much acclaim, including being the National Book Club Conference ‘Book of the Year’ Award Winner. Her next book, Walking in My Joy: In These Streets is a collection of electric stories that shares her commentary on what’s happening in the world today, told through her outrageous real-life adventures!

Following Lewis the other featured authors include Christian Cooper, Rasheed Newson, and Trisha R. Thomas interviewed respectively by local community members and authors Sheree Devereaux, Lorenzo Taylor, and Darlyne Johnson.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Mizell Center, followed by a hosted lunch (for the first 100 people to register) provided by Q’s Creole and Soul Food in Sunrise Park and then will continue at the Palm Springs Public Library and will conclude at 4:30 p.m. The event is FREE to attend, but we’re asking you to please register online as seating is limited. Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-voices-our-stories-celebrating-black-authors-tickets-1147521280039?aff=oddtdtcreator

The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs will be onsite with a selection of titles from our featured authors and then there will also be a local authors table which will introduce local black writers to our community. They will have their titles available for purchase at the event as well.

An event like this would not be possible without the support of our community. The event Sponsors include:

• Keynote Sponsor – Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library
• Program Sponsors – Brothers of the Desert, Coachella Valley Sisters Network, Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival, and is endorsed by the Palm Springs Black History Committee.

The Palm Springs Public Library is located at 300 S. Sunrise Way, on the corner of Sunrise Way and Baristo Road, bordering Sunrise Park. For more information about the Library call 760-322-READ (7323) or go to www.pslibrary.org. Follow the Library on Facebook and Instagram and become a subscriber to the monthly e-Newsletter.

The Mizell Center is located at 480 S. Sunrise Way, on the corner of Sunrise Way and Ramon Road, bordering Sunrise Park. For more information about Mizell Center go to www.mizell.org or call 760-323-5689.

Below is the list of participating authors and moderators, in alphabetical order by last name:

Christian Cooper is a Novelist, Science and Comics Writer and Editor and the Host and Consulting Producer of Extraordinary Birder on National Geographic. One of Marvel’s first openly gay writers and editors, Cooper introduced the first gay male character in Star Trek, in the Starfleet Academy series, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. He also introduced the first openly lesbian character for Marvel and created and authored Queer Nation: The Online Gay Comic. Based in New York City, he is on the board of directors for NYC Audubon and was the infamous Central Park birdwatcher inspiring his book Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World.

Will Dean is a Writer, Editor and Communications Executive who lives in Palm Springs. He is a journalist with 26 years of experience. A highlight of his career was creating and launching with The Desert Sun in 2012 a monthly LGBTQ+ news and feature magazine, Desert Outlook, for the USA TODAY Network. Dean also co-founded the Desert Outbook Book Club which still meets monthly, and he continues to write for various publications and supports Brothers of the Desert https://www.brothersofthedesert.org/ and other nonprofit efforts. He will be in conversation with Jenifer Lewis.

Sheree Devereaux is an Anthology co-author, filmmaker, event coordinator and stage producer. Her credits include working as a Casting Associate for Season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette, Sustainability Coordinator for Season 11 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Covid Compliance Supervisor on Broadway Tour of “A Christmas Carol,” and was a former Talent Booker and Personal Manager of “Deafinit Models & Talent” for 15 years. Under her production company Amen Entertainment, she won a 2002 NAACP Theatre Award. With a degree in Journalism, she reported for KCBS News, Fox Sports West, and hosted Hollywood Entertainment Shows. She is currently the Vice President of the Palm Springs Writers Guild. She will be in conversation with Christian Cooper.

Darlyne Johnson (nee Baugh) is originally from Boston. She worked for 30 years in television and film production in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and Atlanta. Her first novel, Black Girl @ The Gay Channel was loosely based on her experience working at Logo by MTV Networks. In 2015, she became the first franchisee for Kale Me Crazy, a quick-serve restaurant based in Atlanta, eventually owning two locations, and selling both during the pandemic. Darlyne is working on her second novel and is a member of Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime, and the Write Club. She has lived in Palm Springs, CA since 2022. She will be in conversation with Trisha R. Thomas.

Jenifer Lewis was dubbed a National Treasure and a force to be reckoned with; award-winning Actress/Activist, and Author, Jenifer Lewis, star of the 8 seasoned hit TV show Black-ish, has appeared in over 400 episodic television shows, 68 movies, 30 animations, and 4 Broadway shows. Most recently she starred as ‘Patricia’ in the Showtime series “I Love That For You.” Jenifer has performed in more than 200 concerts worldwide including sold out audiences at Lincoln Center and an electrifying standing ovation at Carnegie Hall. Her accomplishments as an entertainer and community activist have been recognized with an honorary doctorate from her Alma Mater, Webster University and the Career Achievement Award from The American Black Film Festival. In November 2022, Jenifer published her second critically acclaimed book “Walking in my Joy: In These Streets” and was honored by the Congressional Black Caucus. Jenifer received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame July 15, 2022. She was born and raised in Kinloch, Missouri.

Rasheed Newson is an Author, Television Drama Writer, Executive Producer, and a Showrunner. His debut novel was My Government Means to Kill Me, which was a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the “The 100 Notable Books of 2022” by The New York Times. His forthcoming novel, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood, is slated for publication by Flatiron in 2026.  As a television producer Rasheed also co-developed Bel-Air and worked on The Chi, Animal Kingdom, and Narcos, among other drama series. Rasheed was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.

Lorenzo Taylor was born in Birmingham, Ala., and attended Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. After a 30-year professional career in public diplomacy and public health policy, he retired in 2018 to Palm Springs, where he taught courses on the Civil Rights Movement and Black Poetry through the OLLI adult education program. He embarked on a late-life career as a playwright, novelist, and journalist in 2020, resulting in four staged plays, two published romance/adventure novels, several magazine articles, and a collection of poems and short stories. He enjoys a good game of cribbage and volunteering with numerous community service groups, including Brothers of the Desert. He will be in conversation with Rasheed Newson.

Trisha R. Thomas is a highly acclaimed author known for her captivating debut novel, Nappily Ever After, that has solidified her place among the most influential voices in contemporary fiction. Storytelling with powerful character-driven narratives define her eloquent style of literature. In 2018, Nappily Ever After was released as a feature film on Netflix starring Sanaa Lathan as well as other notable actors and made history directed by the first female Saudi director, Haifaa al-Mansour. The book as well as the film were nominated for NAACP Image Awards. Nappily Ever After, was chosen by Oprah Winfrey’s ‘O Magazine as a Book That Made A Difference. She is a Literary Lion Award honoree by the King County Library Foundation. She has written 14 novels. She’s written for the Los Angeles Review of Books, Writer’s Digest, and used her depth of insight on CNN as a Cultural Analyst.