Phati'tude Literary Festival Planned

NEW YORK - phati’tude Literary Magazine has announced its 1st Annual African American Literary Festival in celebration of Black History Month. Everyone is invited to attend the event at the Queens Library’s Langston Hughes Community Library & Cultural Center in Corona, Queens, New York, on February 26, 2011 from 10:00am-4:00pm. 

The Festival will promote literacy and increase the awareness of African American literature with a day-long celebration that includes workshops, panel discussion, poetry readings, a musical performance, a short-film premiere and book signings. Additionally, the Winter issue of phati’tude Literary Magazine, “Celebrating Black History Through Literature: From the Harlem Renaissance to Today” will be unveiled, featuring local and nationally recognized writers Amiri Baraka, Quincy Troupe, Ishmael Reed, Shonda Buchanan, devorah major, Yusef Komunyakaa, Stephani Maari Booker, Tony Medina, Askia Toure, Haki Madhubiti, among others. 

The Festival kicks off with three workshops, 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM: The Key to Good Writing by Louis Reyes Rivera; Community Publishing by Ron Kavanaugh; and Writing for Young Readers is "Something Beautiful" by Sharon Dennis Wyeth.  

Activities continue at 12:00 noon with a panel discussion, moderated by Gabrielle David, founder/editor of phati’tude Literary Magazine, which will cover issues pertaining to African American Literature and feature panelists historian and scholar, Louis Reyes Rivera; publisher of Mosaic Magazine, Ron Kavanaugh; award winning children’s author Sharon Dennis Wyeth; and poet and writer Reginald Harris. 

Special guest, poet, teacher and activist, Tara Betts, will discuss the relevancy of African American literature and will read some of her works. Performance by Urban Word NYC; presentations by National Writers Union (NWU) and Poetry Club for Kids; will be followed by the premiere of the short film DUST, written, produced and directed by poet Shane Book. The poets from phati’tude Literary Magazine will also read from their works, with books and copies of the magazine available for sale during the event.

This event is co-sponsored by Queens Library's Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center, with grants received from the New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Council Discretionary Grant from Councilmember Julissa Ferreras, Queens Library, Library Action Committee of Corona-East Elmhurst, Inc. and private donations and contributions. 

phati'tude Literary Magazine, established in 1997, an internationally-acclaimed magazine, is published by The Intercultural Alliance of Artists & Scholars, Inc. (IAAS), a New York-based nonprofit organization. A themed, quarterly publication, phati'tude Literary Magazine is an 8" x 10" perfect-bound book that ranges from 130-160 pages. It is a collection of the best poetry, prose, short stories, articles and interviews along with literary criticism, book reviews and biographical profiles by established and emerging poets, writers and artists with a focus on writers of African, Hispanic/Latino, Native American and Asian descent, whose works exhibit social, political and cultural awareness.

The Intercultural Alliance of Artists & Scholars, Inc. (IAAS) is a New York-based nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to foster understanding of and respect for cultural diversity through literature and media literacy. To reach the broadest audience possible, the IAAS collaborates with artists, scholars and community organizations to advance the art of writing as essential to a good education and to promote literary talent and achievement. Over the past ten years, the IAAS has built an enviable reputation for staging exciting and innovative literary programs that engage the public with issues and ideas from differing perspectives. The IAAS remains committed to introducing new and diverse literatures and multicultural literary resources into the public discourse with initiatives such as phati'tude Literary Magazine.

Queens Library's Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center was founded in 1969 and conceived by local residents in the mid-1960's formed as the Library Action Committee of Corona-East Elmhurst, Inc. (LAC). In 1987, Langston Hughes gained "full branch status" through a Letter of Agreement between the LAC and Queens Library. Today, the Queens Library is responsible for operating and staffing the library, while the LAC serves in an advisory capacity to QL and is solely responsible for funding and operations of the Cultural Arts Program (CAP) and the after school Homework Assistance Program (HAP). The CAP presents musical concerts, film screenings, literature and poetry readings, creative writing workshops, author and publisher fairs, lectures and panels, artist exhibitions, two annual jazz brunches and the Annual Langston Hughes Celebration, Kwanzaa Celebration and Family Day.