- This event has passed.
15th National Black Writers (Virtual) Conference 2020
November 14, 2020 at 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Originally scheduled for March 2020 on the campus of Medgar Evers College (MEC) in Brooklyn, New York, the National Black Writers Conference (NBWC2020) will be virtual this year. The Center for Black Literature (CBL) supports the public health protocols that have emerged because of COVID-19, including social distancing. With that in mind, we have decided to present NBWC 2020 as a series of webinars, online.
The 15th National Black Writers Conference (NBWC): “Activism, Identity, and Race: Playwrights and Screenwriters at the Crossroads,” November 11- November 14, 2020, will continue conversations generated at the 2019 National Black Writers Conference Biennial Symposium. Black playwrights, screenwriters, and filmmakers will examine contemporary trends in theater and film and the ways race, politics, and popular culture shape the plays and films produced.
******
DAY FOUR: Saturday, November 14 | Daytime Host: KEL SPENCER
PUBLISHING, POETRY, FICTION, AND PLAYWRITING TALKSHOPS
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Talkshop Leaders:
DONNA HILL ( fiction), GLENDA HOWARD and NORMA PEREZ-HERNANDEZ (publishing), MO BEASLEY (poetry), and LIZA JESSIE PETERSON (playwriting)
PANEL DISCUSSION
“Defying Stereotypes: Writing Plays, Films, and Scripts from the Black Gaze”
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Panelists will explore the manner in which Black playwrights, screenwriters, and scriptwriters provide the Black gaze in the works they create. They will also examine the importance of writing stories and plays that depict the full spectrum of the Black community and experiences; the importance of resisting stereotypes and creating complex characters to reveal our interior lives; and how gender and identity politics impact the works that are created for the stage, film, and television.
Panelists: Sandra Shannon, Shay Youngblood, Eisa Davis, and B. Nandi Jacob
Moderated by WALLACE L. FORD II.
ROUNDTABLE
“The Playwright and Screenwriter as Activist”
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Addressing racial and other social justice issues in plays and films, the panelists of this roundtable discussion will examine how today’s climate influences character, plot, and viewpoint in the works they create.
Speakers: Keith Josef Adkins, Ngozi Anyanwu (invited), and Liza Jessie Peterson
Moderated by ADESOLA OSAKALUMI
ROUNDTABLE
“Black Theater and Film: Looking Back, Moving Forward”
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
This roundtable will focus on “Celebrating 50 Years of Advancing Knowledge, Social Justice, and Excellence” at Medgar Evers College. Panelists take a look at current and future trends in plays, screenplays, and scripts written by Black writers and address the question: Do we need more complex and nuanced stories in theater, television, and film? They also discuss the importance of diversifying the film and theater industry and ways to inspire the next generation of writers and filmmakers.
Speakers: Carl Clay, Aurin Squire, Elizabeth Van Dyke, and Richard Wesley
Moderated by SANDRA ADELL
DAY FOUR: Saturday, November 14
NBWC AWARDS AND TRIBUTE PROGRAM
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Opening Libation by CHIEF BABA NEIL CLARKE
A Tribute to Toni Morrison by SANDRA GUZMAN, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and author.
Evening Host: ANTOINETTE ROBERSON
Presentations by NBWC2020 Honorees: Dominique Morisseau, Carl Clay, Voza Rivers, Stanley Nelson, and Richard Wesley.
****
HOW TO REGISTER
Before you register, view the full program schedule HERE
(Dates, Times, Event Descriptions, Speakers, Moderators, and More!)
EARLY REGISTRATION: SEPTEMBER 1 – OCTOBER 16, 2020
All Three (3) Days General Donation $65
1 Day General Donation $25
1 Day Students/Faculty/MEC Alumni $20
1 Day Senior Citizens $20
Free MEC Students $0
REGULAR REGISTRATION: OCTOBER 17 – NOVEMBER 5, 2020
All Three (3) Days General Donation $75
1 Day General Donation $30
1 Day Students/Faculty/MEC Alumni $25
1 Day Senior Citizens $25
Free MEC Students $0
STANDARD REGISTRATION: NOVEMBER 11 – NOVEMBER 14, 2020
All Three (3) Days General Donation $80
1 DAY General Donation $35
1 Day Students/Faculty/MEC Alumni $30
1 Day Senior Citizens $30
Free MEC Students $0
TALKSHOPS (Talkshops Run Concurrently)
- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM) – Playwriting & Screenwriting
- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM) – Playwriting, Fiction, Poetry, or Publishing
NOTE: Attendees may register for one session each day. Each session is $30.
Registration for NBWC 2020 is managed by Eventbrite: www.centerforblackliterature.eventbrite.com
