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This Saturday, Burst Into Books Presents the 2nd Annual W.O.W. Lit Fest

Burst Into Books is a nonprofit offering literacy and resources for children six months to eighteen years old and providing representation by diverse authors, books & storytellers.  Burst Into Books is committed to helping the youth deepen their love of reading by integrating the arts, providing opportunities to engage with those connected to the literacy […]
The post This Saturday, Burst Into Books Presents the 2nd Annual W.O.W. Lit Fest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Burst Into Books is a nonprofit offering literacy and resources for children six months to eighteen years old and providing representation by diverse authors, books & storytellers. 

Burst Into Books is committed to helping the youth deepen their love of reading by integrating the arts, providing opportunities to engage with those connected to the literacy field, and creating a space to express themselves.

The 2nd Annual W.O.W. Literary Festival, hosted by Burst Into Books, is the ultimate celebration of books-to-be-written, books-to-be-read and designed with young readers and writers of all ages in mind. 

The festival will be held at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park in Chicago on Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 11 am – 5 pm. It will feature talents such as author Jason Reynolds, illustrator Jerry Craft, and moderator Dr. Eve L. Ewing, to name a few.

Burst Into Books’ primary mission is to rebuild local and national villages through advocacy, the arts, educational and family programming. Burst Into Books envisions a world transformed by cultural literacy through education.

Importance of Literacy In Our Neighborhoods

There is a false narrative that our Black and Brown children don’t want to read and write in our communities. We are the most creative and innovative people, and I think a lot of times, it is about creating a space for kids to see themselves in what they’re reading. My work is rooted in reading and writing as an everyday practice. It’s important to realize that our kids are avid readers and writers, just not in a traditional sense, stated Jurema Gorham, Executive Director and Founder of Burst Into Books.

Burst Into Books

This organization was born in 2018 from a conversation with people who were upset that everything they sought to do with their children was outside the radius of their neighborhood. 

They created a book club to be the change they wanted to see. After forming the book club, the focus became enlisting guest Black authors and illustrators to join the collective as they began the journey toward inspiring Black and brown children through literacy. 

I created this space for kids to come to and be inspired while having the access that they normally wouldn’t have with books and characters that reflect who they are. It was also important for me to create a space that was not a drop-off. We equip our parents with tools through workshops and conversations that allow them to learn and grow as well. We are a safe space, and we are a community for parents as well, said Gorham.

W.O.W. Literary Festival

This festival has proven to be a staple on the literary scene. W.O.W., an acronym for Words of Wonder, has that name thanks to one of Gorham’s mentors, Nora Brooks Blakely, daughter of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Gwendolyn Brooks. 

The festival itself is an idea that has always been in the works, as Chicago is a city of festivals. Community is important. When it comes to Black literary children’s festivals, there were none on the far South Side.

Burst Into Books saw a need and filled it in the historic Pullman neighborhood. It’s a space that has been neglected for these types of cultural events for far too long. 

“I chose a space that would recognize and celebrate the diversity of Black culture, and that is Pullman,” Gorham said.

W.O.W. Lit Fest will highlight Black and brown artists and authors from local and surrounding cities that believe in the power of changing the narrative with our stories. 

These stories and workshops matter, so parents, pull up tomorrow with your little ones and enjoy a day of Black literary richness. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit this W.O.W. Lit Fest link.

For More Information

What: The 2nd Annual WORDS OF WONDER Literary Festival, hosted by Burst Into Books

When: Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park (10201 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60628)

What Else: This event is FREE

The post This Saturday, Burst Into Books Presents the 2nd Annual W.O.W. Lit Fest appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post This Saturday, Burst Into Books Presents the 2nd Annual W.O.W. Lit Fest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Chicago Defender Staff

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Remembering George Floyd

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

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By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.

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