Curated Conversations: The Authors of "Black Boy, Black Boy"
From inventor Elijah McCoy to writer Chinua Achebe, authors Ali Kamanda & Jorge Redmond have created a lyrical, rhythmic text celebrating inspirational Black men, past and present, in their debut children's book "Black Boy, Black Boy." Illustrated by Ken Daley, the book encourages readers to imagine everything they can be and the great things they can do, drawing on the strength of some of the Black men in history who have helped pave the way.
This program, provided by the Black on Black Project and Carolina K-12's William Friday Education Initiative, features a conversation with the authors of "Black Boy, Black Boy," moderated by Black on Black founder Michael S. Williams. They will discuss their inspiration for creating the book, the people and themes it portrays, as well as current events and challenges our communities still face.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS & PROGRAM HOSTS
Ali Biko Sulaiman Kamanda (author) is an award-winning filmmaker & social entrepreneur from Sierra Leone, West Africa, and a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus. He runs BIKO Studios, a cross-cultural film production company, and is the President of Salone Rising, a nonprofit that provides micro-financing & mentoring resources to small business owners in rural Sierra Leone.
George Redmond (author) is the Senior Attorney for Buncombe County Sheriff's Office, previously serving as the Assistant District Attorney. He is an adjunct professor of law at South College, and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and John Marshall Law School.
Michael S. Williams (moderator) is a consultant & the founder of the Black on Black Project, an organization that produces art exhibitions and short films that address issues affecting communities across the state of North Carolina.
Carolina K-12, a program of Carolina Public Humanities at UNC-CH, serves teaching professionals around the state with access to free, high quality professional development, teacher retreats, & curricular resources.
The North Caroliniana Society, dedicated to the promotion of increased knowledge & appreciation of North Carolina's heritage, partners with Carolina K-12 on the William Friday Teacher Education Initiative and provides funding for teacher retreats, virtual education events, and classroom resources.
This program was provided by the Black on Black Project and Carolina K-12, with funding from the Black on Black Project and the North Caroliniana Society. Special appreciation to Flyleaf Books for the use of their space. Thanks to the North Caroliniana Society and other private donors, all participating educators received a free copy of "Black Boy, Black Boy."