Returning to Springfield three years ago, I was struck by an interesting expansion shaping and enriching Springfield's intellectual and cultural landscape. Self-publishing had resulted in the publication of several books by local black authors; the African American Point of View (POV), a local black-owned free newspaper published by Frederick & Marjorie Hurst, devoted considerable space in their paper to promoting the works of local black authors, poets and writers; and Zee Johnson established the Olive Tree Bookstore over on Hancock Street. In the heart of Springfield's black community literacy and education were being affirmed and promoted on a community level.
Last year, my friend Arnold (Al) Lizana, founder of the Frederick Douglass Community Business Center (FDCBC), an emerging community empowerment organization that is home to several small black-owned businesses, asked that I help organize a launch event to introduce the FDCBC to the community. Together, with collaborators as local as Springfield or Amherst and two as far away as New Haven, Connecticut, we produced the first annual North Star Book Festival. Our project brought diverse people of the community together to experience the value of investing in each other, which is what the FDCBC is about, over conversations about books by black authors. People and books? Yep, people and books.
Initially there was some reluctance about a business-based organization being introduced to the community by way of books. However, given that the developments(the books authored by local black authors, the Olive Tree, the POV) driving the community's compass in a productive direction were connected to literacy and education, hosting a book festival was a natural progression. It was also quite personal for me.
I was fortunate enough to experience the life sustaining investments of able teachers (a caring family, an affirming community, a host of good friends and mentors) who at one time or another supported and encouraged my intellectual curiosity in and outside of the public school classroom. Those who were well-read exposed me to books and those who barely read a lick encouraged me to read and pay very close attention to the interactions of people and the events shaping life where I lived. Critically thinking about the life occurring around me was expected to impart meaningful lifelong lessons.
When people were unavailable, in the absence of their guidance, I paid close attention to what was going on around me and as expected I read as much as possible to acquire the information necessary to discern between right and wrong in order to shape a worthwhile life to live. I read about people who survived trials I could not have imagined, in places I have yet to explore. There were stories about people who experienced a pitiful degree of brokenness, but somehow still emerged from that state with a tremendous sense of wholeness. There were stories about great men and women who, despite grave risks to themselves, fostered hope in the hearts and minds of people giving them the courage to stand for something rather than fall for anything. There were stories that inspired me to become more human. To laugh loudly. To cry well into the wee hours of the morning. To change my stance from where I stood. And much, much more. I can't imagine a life well-lived in the absence of people who care or without books, newspapers or magazines. People and books have something in common for me. The power to effect change, foster growth and shape the future. I believe in the power of people and books.
So here we go again, hosting the second annual North Star Book Festival on Saturday, November 7, 2009. We hope to introduce diverse people to some of the works published by black authors; provide a forum where local black authors can promote their own works and unpublished writers can experience peer appreciation and receive audience feedback to help develop their craft; engage people in critical conversations through panel discussions; create a stimulating living classroom so that young people, especially, can see, hear and experience literacy building affirmed in the public sphere; promote active use of and access to the public library; encourage and support individuals, families and children to become caring, informed and productive life- long learners engaged in developing intellectually challenging and culturally rich environments where dignity matters, creating a sense of purpose and community in our neighborhoods.
Please join us as we endeavor to make this year's festival deserving of our community.
Lucinda Ealy, Organizer
North Star Book Festival
