JANUARY 2019
January 5 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group, from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member Lee Christine Brownlee and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019
to
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
January 9: How to Take Advantage of the New Tax Laws
Come hear tax preparer Susan Lee discuss the recent changes in the federal tax laws. Some of these changes offer advantages to freelance writers. Susan will also address goal setting, managing cash flow, tax deductible expenses for writers and tips to help writers prepare for an audit.
WRITERS: LEARN ABOUT –
How to Take Advantage of
the New Tax Laws
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
6-8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: info@nwuny.org
or 646-483-4659
About The Author
Susan Lee, a founding member of the National Writers Union, has worked with writers and freelancers in New York City for over twenty years. As a Certified Financial Planner, Susan has presented on tax and financial issues facing writers at organizations such as Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Columbia University, The Center for Book Arts, Teachers and Writers Collaborative, and the New York Foundation for the Arts among others. For many years, she hosted and produced a weekly holistic financial radio show, You and Your Money, on WBAI-FM in NYC.
Find more about your tax and financial options from Susan’s website. dedicated to tax and financial issues for writers and freelancers, at www.freelancetaxation.com.
January 19 – The #WomensWave
It’s time to march again. And this time, we’re coming back with an agenda.
On January 19, 2019, we’re going to flood the streets of Washington, D.C., and cities across the globe. The #WomensWave is coming, and we’re sweeping the world forward with us.
Women’s March on Washington
Start: January 19, 2019 • 10:00 AM
12th Street and the National Mall• 12th Street and Jefferson Drive SW, Washington D.C., DC 20001
FEBRUARY 2019
February 2 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member Lee Christine Brownlee and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019
to
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
February 13: Writing While Black Forum
Invites you to a forum about:
WRITING WHILE BLACK:
CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND REWARDS OF WRITING FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
Featuring:
- Herb Boyd (Moderator), award-winning journalist & book author.
- Bill Fletcher Jr., acclaimed labor journalist & social justice advocate
- Eartha Watts-Hicks, award-winning author and marketing consultant
- JP Howard, widely acclaimed poet, author, educator, and curator.
- Yusef Salaam is the author of The Devil & Elijah Muhammad and a children’s book, Elijah Muhammad: Builder of a Nation.
- Raymond Nat Turner: Poet-in-Residence at Black Agenda Report, WBAI’s Morning Metro, Ralph Poynter’s “What’s Happening?” Blog Talk Radio
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
6-9 PM
256 W. 38 St., 12th flr UAW Conf Rms, NYC
A Free event open to all writers
Light Refreshments will be served
RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
About the Panelists
Herb Boyd is an is an awarding winning author and journalist. He has written or edited over 20 books and published countless articles for national magazines and newspapers; including New York’s Amsterdam News. His book Baldwin’s Harlem, a biography of James Baldwin, was a finalist for a 2009 NAACP Image Award. Along with his writing, Boyd is a national and international correspondent for Free Speech TV. A graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Boyd teaches African and African-American History at the College of New Rochelle in the Bronx, and is an adjunct instructor at City College in the Black Studies Department.
Bill Fletcher Jr., the author of They’re Bankrupting Us! (Beacon Press, 2012), and co-author (with Dr. Fernando Gapasin) of Solidarity Divided (UC Press, 2009) is a long-time racial justice, labor, and international activist, scholar, and author. He has been involved in the labor movement for decades, and is a widely known speaker and writer in print and on radio, television, and the Web. He has served in senior staff positions with many prominent union and labor organizations, including the Service Employees International Union, national AFL-CIO and the American Federation of Government Employees. He is also the former president of TransAfrica Forum.
JP Howard’s debut poetry collection, SAY/MIRROR (The Operating System), was a 2016 Lambda Literary finalist. She is also the author of bury your love poems here (Belladonna*). JP is a 2019 featured author in Lambda Literary’s LGBTQ Writers in Schools program. JP curates Women Writers in Bloom Poetry Salon, a NY-based forum offering all writers, but especially women, a monthly venue to collaborate. Her poetry and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in Academy of American Poets, Anomaly, Apogee Journal, The Feminist Wire, Split this Rock, Muzzle Magazine, and The Best American Poetry Blog. JP holds a BA from Barnard College, an MFA in Creative Writing from The City College of New York and a JD from Brooklyn Law School.
Yusef Salaam is the author of The Devil & Elijah Muhammad and a children’s book, Elijah Muhammad: Builder of a Nation.
Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet privileged to have read at the Harriet Tubman Centennial Symposium. He is Artistic Director of the stalwart JazzPoetry Ensemble UpSurge and has appeared at numerous festivals and venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival and Panafest in Ghana West Africa. He currently is Poet-in-Residence at Black Agenda Report. Turner has opened for such people as James Baldwin, People’s Advocate Cynthia McKinney, radical sportswriter Dave Zirin and CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee following her lone vote against attacking Afghanistan. He is Co-Chair of the NY Chapter National Writers Union (NWU
Eartha Watts-Hicks is a New York Foundation for the Arts artist/entrepreneur and a member of the legendary Harlem Writers Guild. A fiction fellow of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, Center for Black Literature and North Country Institute and Retreat for Writers of Color, Eartha’s writings have appeared in several online publications, including Harlem World Magazine, TheUrbanBookSource.com, and Future Executives.org. In June of 2013, she received the Just R.E.A.D. “Game Changer” Award in the fiction category from the NYCHA branch of the NAACP for her novel Love Changes and was named New York City ambassador for literacy. In 2014, Eartha was featured in the Congressional Black Caucus Write It Down panel discussion, returning to the Caucus in 2018. An affiliate of BlackPR.com, she is a PR writer, specializing in press releases for artists, entrepreneurs, ministries, and nonprofits. Her writing advice appears in The Writer’s Guide to 2013, and she leads writing, self-publishing, and publicity workshops. Eartha is now editor-in-chief at Harlem World Magazine and independently publishes a series of calendar books, called A Planner Is A Girl’s Best Friend.
MARCH 2019
March 2 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member Lee Christine Brownlee and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Mar. 2, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
March 9 – International Women’s Day celebration with the Women’s Press Collective
Women’s Press Collective (WPC) is holding its 12th annual International Women’s Day celebration to honor working women. The theme is “Women’s Labor Builds Our Society” and will pay tribute to women working in economically/socially critical fields such as nursing, building trades, food service and more.
The event will be held on Saturday, March 9th from 11 am to 4 pm at the beautiful and historic Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (LAPC) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and includes morning reception, speakers, musical and dance performances, a buffet lunch and lots of solidarity. Please RSVP at the WPC office: 718-543-5100.
Suggested donation: $20.00, includes morning light meal, music, and dance and buffet lunch.
March 13: Market Your Book on a Budget
Marketing guru Eartha Watts Hicks will discuss low-cost marketing strategies you can use to build your brand and reach potential customers: social media, press kits, personal appearances and more.
Wednesday, Mar. 13, 2019
6 – 9 PM
256 W. 38 St., 12thflr, NYC
UAW Conf Rms
A Free event open to all writers
Light Refreshments will be served
RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eartha Watts-Hicks is a New York Foundation for the Arts artist/entrepreneur and a member of the legendary Harlem Writers Guild. A fiction fellow of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, Center for Black Literature and North Country Institute and Retreat for Writers of Color, Eartha’s writings have appeared in Harlem World Magazine, TheUrbanBookSource.com, and Future Executives.org. In 2013, she received the Just R.E.A.D. “Game Changer” Award in the fiction category from the NYCHA branch of the NAACP for her novel Love Changes and was named New York City ambassador for literacy. In 2014, Eartha was featured in the Congressional Black Caucus Write It Down panel discussion, returning to the Caucus in 2018. An affiliate of BlackPR.com, she is a PR writer, specializing in press releases for artists, entrepreneurs, ministries, and nonprofits. Eartha is now editor-in-chief at Harlem World Magazine and independently publishes a series of calendar books, called A Planner Is A Girl’s Best Friend.
March 16 – NWU Member Jenny Brown’s Book Launch, Discussion & Party
Jenny Brown’s book Birth Strike: The Hidden Fight over Women’s Work (out March 1 from PM Press) argues that seemingly cultural conflicts over abortion and birth control are at root a fight over women’s reproductive labor—who is going to do it and who is going to pay for it. On one side, elite policymakers want an expanding workforce reared with a minimum of employer spending and a maximum of unpaid women’s work. On the other side, women are refusing to produce children at levels desired by economic planners—by some measures our birth rate is the lowest it has ever been. With little access to childcare, family leave, health care, and with insufficient male participation, U.S. women are conducting a spontaneous birth strike. Co-hosted by National Women’s Liberation and Redstockings.
“An audacious analysis of the falling U.S. birth rate; of the exploitive, often untenable conditions for raising children here and now; and of what might be done to change things. Feminist insight illuminates every chapter of this thoughtful book.”
—Alix Kates Shulman, author of Memoirs of an Ex–Prom Queen and A Marriage Agreement and Other Essays: Four Decades of Feminist Writing
BOOK PARTY
Saturday, March 16, 7:00 pm
National Writers Union, 256 West 38th St, 12th floor.
March 26 – NWU Member George Lakey’s Book Party & Discussion
After six decades of activism, NWU member George Lakey sees today’s growing political crisis as the biggest opportunity of our lifetime to make progressive changes in the U.S. In his book, “How We Win,” He explains why drawing lessons from a century of successful campaigns and sharing promising innovations in organizing makes for a winning strategy.
“If you want to be a soldier, you can go to West Point. If you want to be a nonviolent change-maker–well, this is an awfully good place to start.” — Bill McKibben, co-founder 350.org
BOOK PARTY & DISCUSSION
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at 7 pm
National Writers Union, 256 West 38th St, 12th floor.
APRIL 2019
Aril 6 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Apr. 6, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
April 6 – NWU NY General Membership Meeting
- Share the exciting news of our Union victories for writers
- Listen to your needs, concerns & ideas
- Stay for a Union Pitch Workshop: Pitch, Practice, Recruit!
- Learn how to pitch the union from experienced union leadership
- Inspiring words about the strength and purpose of joining the National Writers Union
- Build your networking and public speaking skills
General Membership Meeting
April 6 @ 12 pm
National Writers Union
256 W. 38th Street, NYC
NWU-UAW Conference Room, 12th Floor
PIZZA, SALAD & REFRESHMENTS SERVED!
Contact: Tim Sheard, Co-Chair
sheard2001@gmail.com,917-428-1352
April 10 – Hybrid Publishing: The Author’s Third Option
Mascot Books Publisher and CEO Naren Aryal and author John Woodruff will discuss the paths to publishing and a closer look into the hybrid model. Learn the options available to you beyond commercial and self-publishing and what will fit your project best.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
6-8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
or 917-428-1352
April 27 – First UpSurge! NYC Jazz Poetry Festival
Join Co-Chair Raymond Nat Turner and member Zigi Lowenberg for their groups first UpSurge! NYC Jazz Poetry Festival on Saturday, April 27 at 3 pm.
Admission: $10
National Writers Union 256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, NYC 10018
May 4 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
May 4 – Bronx Book Fair 2019: In Celebration Of Our Children & Ourselves
Join the NWU at the Bronx Book Fair on May 4, 2019. We will have a table, two of our members (Yusef Salaam and Peter Benjaminson) are participating in a “Book Talk” broadcast at 11:40 and a “Manuscript to Market” panel at 1:10 pm, respectively.
The Bronx Book Fair is the borough’s premier literary event and features a variety of diverse and intergenerational literary voices. Included are literary presentations, poetry/spoken word readings, writing workshops, book discussions, forums, coaching, keynote address, and panels. Special programs for children and families will also be available.
Date And Time
Sat, May 4, 2019, 11:00 AM EDT
Bronx Library Center
310 East Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, NY 10458
For Information and Inquiries Bronx Book Fair
Lorraine Currelley, Executive Director
646.894.5337
bronxbookfair@gmail.com
www.bronxbookfair.com
May 8 – E-book Conversion and Worldwide Distribution
Phyllis Azar of PublishDrive will explain how manuscripts are artfully converted to E-books and distributed to their 400+ global channels that sell E-books. She will describe their free conversion tool, operating on the philosophy, “When the author makes money, we make money.”
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
6-8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
or 917-428-1352
About PublishDrive
PublishDrive is an e-book publishing platform working with thousands of indie authors and indie publishers, offering access to a huge distribution network including 400+ stores and 240,000 digital libraries in 70+ countries around the world. PublishDrive CEO Kinga Jentetics (yen-tet-tich) made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Media in 2017, and she was named one of the Top 100 European Female Founders by The Hundert. In 2017, Google invested in PublishDrive as part of its Launchpad Accelerator program.
PublishDrive offers two pricing options:
Royalty Share: with this no-upfront-cost option, pay 10% of the cover price of e-books sold: best for authors selling under $1,000 per month. This is consistent with, and sometimes lower than, similar services. Pay only when you sell books.
Subscription: pay only $100 per month: best for authors selling over $1,000 per month. This is a tremendous benefit for high-selling authors because no matter how high sales go, the fee remains at $100, and author royalties from the stores are the same as if the author distributed directly through those stores. This is unheard of among similar services. Have a look at our subscription pricing case study with bestselling self-published author Rachel Morgan. She increased her earnings by 16% using our subscription option.
Both options get the full power of PublishDrive’s global distribution network and robust platform. PublishDrive is dedicated to making the publishing process accessible and easy for all writers and publishers, and they are in it for the long term.
What’s new?
Marketing options! Not only can PublishDrive users distribute to a huge network from a single platform, now they can manage ebook marketing directly through the platform. PublishDrive now offers free review copies, free submission to retail feature promotions, and Amazon advertising – all managed on their PD dashboard. In January, PD released a free e-book conversion tool for anyone to use. This free tool will convert a Microsoft Word DOCX file into downloadable, ready-to-publish EPUB and MOBI files – please share it with anyone who might need it! The writing process is hard enough, so the publishing and marketing process should be easier. PublishDrive helps writers save time and money so they can write more, publish more, sell more, and worry less.
About Phyllis Azar
Phyllis Azar has worked in book advertising for Bennett Book Advertising (now Verso Advertising) and also in traditional book publishing at Tor/Forge (Macmillan), for a total of 27 years. She joined PublishDrive in June of 2018 as a marketing consultant as part of their US market expansion. At PublishDrive she is involved with various branding, marketing, and communications projects to help grow their audience in the self-publishing space. Born and raised in New York City and constantly inspired by the city’s abundance of art, she has written and published several short stories, dabbled in crafts, and is currently teaching herself cartooning. Her current motto is “Don’t measure your life’s progress against others, but do learn from them.”
May 11 – Book Party For Tim Sheard’s New Lenny Moss Mystery Novel
Find out what that wily shop steward detective is up in the 8th exciting story, “One Foot in the Grave.”
BOOK PARTY FOR
TIM SHEARD’S NEW
LENNY MOSS MYSTERY NOVEL
Saturday, May 11, 2019
3 – 6 pm
256 W. 38 St., NYC, 12 floor (UAW hall)
Refreshments will be served!
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
Or
917-428-1352
May 18 –Live Stage Reading of ‘The Green Book’, with Playwright Calvin Ramsey
The 8th Annual Workers Unite Film Festival Celebrates NWU!
Program 24:
-
DC 1707 Auditorium – 420 West 45th Street (map)
Doors: 6:30 pm. Play starts 7:00 pm sharp.
Not to be missed! A concert staged reading of ‘The Green Book’ play, with playwright Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Director Vincent Scott, and Cast for Q&A afterwards.
THE GREEN BOOK is a play that sheds light on a time in America when Jim Crow and separate but equal was the law of the land. Travel and accommodations for African Americans were complex and full of uncertainties. Where a person or family could eat, sleep, buy gasoline or use restrooms was never without tension and, in some cases, was a life and death struggle. The play allows those who were born after the landmark civil rights bills were passed to look back upon a not so pleasant time in American History, but also to see a people who looked out for one another and provided a safe harbor in a swirling storm. A Jewish concentration camp survivor enters the play and the complexities of the times play out. (2018, 1 hr 20 min) Q&A after with Playwright, Director and Cast.
Get tickets on Eventbrite here!
JUNE 2019
June 1 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, June 1, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
June 12 – Looking for the Pony: Win Your Audience and sell your Work, with Calvin Ramsey.
“For success as a writer, you must be in a constant forward motion of telling your stories to all audiences. That story is your writing and us a living journey. You don’t just sell your work, you sell yourself. We all have a life and that life is what you are offering to your audience. Most artists have a hard time offering their work for sale since writing is such a private endeavor. My talk is about sharing your work and finding audiences that are overlooked and often forgotten. It boils down to how bad you want to be a performer in addition to being a writer and storyteller.” – Calvin Ramsey
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
6 – 8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
or 917-428-1352
Calvin Alexander Ramsey is a man of numerous talents. Not only does he write award-winning picture books for children, he is a photographer, a folk art painter, and a playwright. His plays have won awards as they traveled across the country to Washington, D.C., Atlanta; Omaha, Nebraska; San Francisco; and Alaska. That schedule surely agrees with Calvin because he has called many cities home: Martha’s Vineyard; New York City; Santa Monica, California; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. John. Now he lives in Atlanta, Georgia. His first picture book, Ruth and the Green Book, tells the story of an African American family as they travel across a “Jim Crow” United States.
June 20 – Legal Defense Fund Raiser
Reception for the Legal Action Fund for Group Non-Payment Grievances for Freelancers
In 2018, the National Writers Union collected more than $200,000 for almost 150 unpaid freelancers by waging Group Non-Payment Grievances. Most of these were settled directly and with the assistance of the UAW Legal Department, some had to go to court. All of the unpaid freelancers were paid 100% of what they were owed.
Non-payment and late payment continue to be a stain on our industry, and more and more, freelancers are turning to NWU to get what’s rightfully theirs. So far in 2019, we have two cases in court and have collected more than $35,000 from Pride Media, with one final payment due in June. As of this writing, a fourth case is just beginning.
The Legal Action Fund
The National Writers United Service Organization (NWUSO), a 501(c)(3), is launching a Legal Action Fund to help the union handle an increase in these Group Non-Payment Grievances that may require legal help. We are asking other unions, non-profits, writers’ organizations, and individuals to help us raise $10,000 at a fundraiser on June 20.
We need this fund for two reasons. One, the UAW Legal Dept. cannot handle every case that comes to us, in part because there are 400,000 members who have contracts to negotiate, organizing campaigns to conduct, arbitrations to resolve and countless other legal issues. Two, this fund will let publishers know that we have the ability to take them to court if needed, to get our members paid.
Help Launch the Fund – Thursday, June 20, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Where: Levy Ratner, 80 Eighth Ave. (14th St.)
To register for the Reception https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/ticketing/2933/order
Can’t make it but want to make a contribution, https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/national-writers-union-legal-fund
JULY 2019
July 3 – UpSurge!NYC’s 2nd Annual Frederick Douglass Alternative 4th of July Celebration
Two years ago Boss Tweet declared, “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice.” Could there possibly be a grain of truth in his statement implying Douglass lives?
Wednesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. UpSurge!NYC will host the 2nd Annual Frederick Douglass Alternative 4th of July Celebration at the National Writers Union (NWU) 256 West 38th Street, 12th floor. Admission is $10–$20 sliding scale, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. NWU is wheelchair accessible.
This annual event commemorates Frederick Douglass’ historic 1852 speech, “What Is The Fourth of July To The Slave?” given to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society “Independence Day” gathering of that year.
Several writers, performance artists, and activists will read excerpts from Douglass’s fiery and prescient speech. Last year one of the readers declared, “Douglass’s speech reads like it was written this morning!” Maybe she’s right?
Douglass dares us, “Go search where you will, roam the all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”
Douglass calls and the jazz poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC will be responding with their courageous social-political commentary and stirring, seamless musicality.
“An ensemble that earns its exclamation point with dynamic performances that capture the soul, humor and off-the-cuff inventiveness of a cascading saxophone solo.” —Contra Costa Times
“blew the audience away with their powerful music and lyrics, which condemned Wall Street and the greedy banks.” —People’s World
Light refreshments will be served.
Sponsors and funders at time of this release:
July 6 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, July 6, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
AUGUST 2019
August 3 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
August 22-25: The Writer’s Digest Annual Conference
The Writer’s Digest Annual Conference offers everything you need to advance your writing career creatively and professionally. Gain invaluable tips to improve your craft, explore publishing options and learn how to establish a sustainable career—all while being inspired by successful authors and your fellow attendees. And it’s all brought to you by Writer’s Digest, the experts at nurturing and developing writers at every stage of their career for 100 years.
SEPTEMBER 2019
September 7 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee member M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
September 11 – ART AND WORDS: HOW THEY COMPLEMENT AND ENRICH EACH OTHER with Anel Pitcairn
Writers learn:
- What makes an effective cover image
- How do artists interpret the author’s book subjects in the crafting of their artwork
- How art and design are used to create a comprehensive and effective press release or flyer with artwork
- What determines printing costs and the differences between how color or b&w is printed.
- How artists and writers collaborate for a successful book.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
6 – 8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
or 917-428-1352
September 14 – Annual NWU Picnic for Members & Friends
Spend a summer afternoon and share great food with fellow writers while overlooking the Hudson River. We’ll be on the 66th Street Plaza in Riverside Park South near Linda’s Lawn, Saturday, Sept. 14, from 1 PM – 5 PM.
All of our members and friends are invited. Please RSVP with the food and/or drink you’re planning to bring.
One plate/bowl of food or one bottle of water/soda/tea/lemonade is fine. No alcoholic beverages.
** RAIN LOCATION: If bad weather is predicted, the picnic will move indoors at 256 West 38th Street, 12th Floor. **
Directions to the Riverside Park Picnic Site:
By Foot: Walk to Riverside Blvd. (not Riverside Drive) and W 68th Street. Find the path to the right (North) of the playground. Walk down the path (West toward the water), it will bring you into Riverside Park South.
By Bike: Ride your bike along the bikeway that runs through Riverside Park South. This bikeway can be accessed from the Hudson River Park and Riverside Park bikeways. The NYC Parks Department provides bike racks near the PIER i CAFE.
By Train: Take the 1, 2, or 3 Lines to W 72nd Street. Walk to West End Ave and W 70th Street. Continue on W 70th Street until you reach Riverside Blvd then walk South to W 68th Street then follow walking directions. (Note: W 68th Street does not connect to Riverside Blvd, thus we suggest the W 70th Street route).
By Bus: Take M72 cross-town to W 70th Street and Riverside Blvd (last stop.) Walk South to W 68th Street then follow walking directions.
September 21-23: Brooklyn Book Festival
Brooklyn NY 11201
OCTOBER 2019
October 5 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee members Alexandra Faiz and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
October 6 – El Festival
El Festival is an annual bilingual Hispanic Heritage Month Literary celebration dispelling the myth that Latin@s aren’t literary. It is produced by La Fortaleza Community Development Corporation, a non-profit 501 c3 organization created to use arts & culture as engines for economic development and cultural maintenance in El Barrio/East Harlem.
The event brings together Latin@ writers in all genres, published or not, to mingle, sell books, pass on knowledge, and receive tips & advice.
Activities for all ages are planned, including meet & greet with children’s authors Diana Lee Santamaria, Tucker Anthony, and Noemi Santana and chat sessions on the insight of the craft of poetry with Willie Perdomo, Jesus Papoleto Melendez, Maria Aponte, and others.
The LOUIS REYES RIVERA WRITER’S WORKSHOP which resides at the Bedford Library in Bklyn continues the legacy of their historic and successful series founded at Brooklyn’s Sista’s Place with an introductory workshop during The Festival. and a selected group of activists, organizers, writers, including Harlem University Alumni will read from Louis Reyes Rivera’s JAZZ IN JAIL his final seminal work which was published posthumously.
The NATIONAL WRITER’s UNION (NWU) fulfilling its mission of representing and presenting writers of all genres, languages, and culture with panels on risks of journalism, the value of physical space for literary community building, information on publishing rights, artistic management, and more.
Found by former member of the WELFARE POETS, Razr Ray Ramirez, heads the LYRIC’S LOUNGE on writing poetry for song & rap workshop for youth.
Open mic session, book signings, and more will take place in this two day festival of bilingual literacy and literature, Sunday, October 6th, 10:30am to 5:00pm and Sunday, October 13th, same time. Admission is free. Schools are especially welcomed.
Visit our Eventbrite page for details and registration. Question can be sent to libros230books@gmail.com or call 646 546 1901 (voicemail).
Our sponsors include the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Banco Popular, East Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Taino Towers Community Gallery, Old Timers’ Stickball Hall of Fame and Museum, and a network of neighborhood organizations and small businesses.
This year, it takes place at the historic public school building turned artists living & workspace, El BARRIO’s ARTSPACE P.S. 109 (215 East 99th Street – betwn 3rd & 2nd Avenues).
October 9 – Protect Your Literary Rights: Understand Your Contract
Calling all writers!
PROTECT YOUR LITERARY RIGHTS: UNDERSTAND YOUR CONTRACT
It’s essential in today’s web-based universe that writers know how to protect their work from digital piracy. Based on years as co-chair of the NWU’s Book Division and the current chair of its Grievance and Contract Committee, Susan E. Davis will discuss ways to ensure that your copyright is not infringed and what steps to take if it is. Susan is a journalist and the author of four nonfiction books and a novel.
Veteran author Peter Benjaminson will discuss how to evaluate a book contract and how to negotiate for a better deal. Learn about book advances and royalty payments.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
6-8:30 PM
UAW Conference Rooms
256 W. 38th Street, 12th floor, Manhattan
Refreshments will be served!
A Free Program
Information & RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
or 917-428-1352
Peter Benjaminson
Since 1973, Peter has signed thirteen book contracts with eleven commercial and two academic publishers. His two latest books are The Story of Motown Illustrated New and Revised Edition, released by Rare Bird Books in 2018, and Crazy Man, Crazy: The Bill Haley Story, which Peter co-authored with Bill Haley Jr. Crazy Man, Crazy was released last month by Omnibus Books in the U.K. and Backbeat Books in the U.S.
October 13 – El Festival
El Festival is an annual bilingual Hispanic Heritage Month Literary celebration dispelling the myth that Latin@s aren’t literary. It is produced by La Fortaleza Community Development Corporation, a non-profit 501 c3 organization created to use arts & culture as engines for economic development and cultural maintenance in El Barrio/East Harlem.
The event brings together Latin@ writers in all genres, published or not, to mingle, sell books, pass on knowledge, and receive tips & advice.
Activities for all ages are planned, including meet & greet with children’s authors Diana Lee Santamaria, Tucker Anthony, and Noemi Santana and chat sessions on the insight of the craft of poetry with Willie Perdomo, Jesus Papoleto Melendez, Maria Aponte, and others.
The LOUIS REYES RIVERA WRITER’S WORKSHOP which resides at the Bedford Library in Bklyn continues the legacy of their historic and successful series founded at Brooklyn’s Sista’s Place with an introductory workshop during The Festival. and a selected group of activists, organizers, writers, including Harlem University Alumni will read from Louis Reyes Rivera’s JAZZ IN JAIL his final seminal work which was published posthumously.
The NATIONAL WRITER’s UNION (NWU) fulfilling its mission of representing and presenting writers of all genres, languages, and culture with panels on risks of journalism, the value of physical space for literary community building, information on publishing rights, artistic management, and more.
Found by former member of the WELFARE POETS, Razr Ray Ramirez, heads the LYRIC’S LOUNGE on writing poetry for song & rap workshop for youth.
Open mic session, book signings, and more will take place in this two day festival of bilingual literacy and literature, Sunday, October 13th, 10:30am to 5:00pm. Admission is free. Schools are especially welcomed.
Visit our Eventbrite page for details and registration. Question can be sent to libros230books@gmail.com or call 646 546 1901 (voicemail).
Our sponsors include the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Banco Popular, East Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Taino Towers Community Gallery, Old Timers’ Stickball Hall of Fame and Museum, and a network of neighborhood organizations and small businesses.
This year, it takes place at the historic public school building turned artists living & workspace, El BARRIO’s ARTSPACE P.S. 109 (215 East 99th Street – betwn 3rd & 2nd Avenues).
October 17 – 19: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Free Films & Disscussion
Join the National Writers Union at these two free events starting Thursday (10/17).
World Premiere on Thursday, October 17, at 7 PM
DISPARITY: The Ultimate Search for Real Aid
Thursday, October 17, at 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM EDT
The Church of the Ascension
36 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is working with a coalition of civil society organizations to promote a new documentary film that addresses the growing inequalities in the world and critiques the “aid” which benefits donors more than recipients. The film features prominent economists and Nobel laureates. This is a day-long world premiere, beginning in Australia and ending with this screening in NYC. The film is in English with Spanish subtitles.
Here is the trailer and more info. https://www.youtube.com/
Discussion will follow. This is a FREE event. The National Writers Union is a proud member of the International Federation of Journalists.
INDIE & FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL: Friday, October 18, through Saturday, October 19
San Damiano Hall, 127 West 31st Street
New York, New York 10001
Join the National Writers Union in supporting this great selection of films that focus on the current immigration situation here in the U.S.A. as well as abroad. Additionally, there will be documentary films focusing on detention centers, family separation, DACA, the sanctuary movement, the Mexican-American border, and a look at those who have been forced to return to countries they fled. They are also screening dramas about refugees, the travel ban and undocumented immigrants.
Student Film Night – Friday Oct. 18th starting at 6pm
Short Film Matinee – Saturday Oct. 19th starting at 1pm
Learn more at https://www.
October 18 – Waging Peace in Vietnam Book Event
October 24 – Unmasking Fake News and the Efforts to Suppress Journalists
Join Metro for a provocative discussion with leading thinkers and working journalists about:
* Communicating with members who believe fake news
* Combatting the overabundance of misinformation out there
* Best practices in response to politicians/bosses who denigrate our work in order to prevent exposure of their wrongdoing
* How the risks to journalists (from physical danger to damaged reputations) might hinder the truth from being told
* Countering this destructive effort that threatens our unions and our democracy
Panel discussion
Thursday, October 24
5:30-8pm
National Writer’s Union
256 W. 38th Street, 12th Fl
Free event, light refreshments
RSVP to metrolabornyc@gmail.com
Panelists: Committee to Protect Journalists. Every year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, or killed. CPJ has been there to defend them and fight for press freedom.
Zach Verdin, co-founder of NewNive and Guardians.ai, is a leader in investigating and uncovering online disinformation networks.
Jiore Craig, Vice President at GQR, helps governments and unions to develop rapid response programs to combat disinformation on- and offline.
NOVEMBER
November 2 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee members Alexandra Faiz and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
November 2, 7: Harlem Writers Guild/ NWU Members’ Events
Join NWU members of the Harlem Writers Guild on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd at 11:00 am at The Langston Hughes Library at 100-01 Northern Boulevard in Corona (Queens). In a celebration of Literature, they will lift their voices to raise consciousness and celebrate the work of many of today’s most compelling authors.
Harlem Writers Guild/ NWU members are scheduled to Read from 11:30 a.m. until noon and will be autographing copies until 3 p.m.
Their books are heavy in more ways than one. RSVP to reserve your copies. For more information about #TheHarlemWritersGuild, visit www.theharlemwritersguild.org.
The Harlem Writers Guild is a forum where writers of African descent have developed their craft for decades. Literary giants such as Maya Angelou, Louise Merriwether, John Oliver Killens, Rosa Guy, John Henrik Clarke, Paule Marshall and others have been affiliated with the Guild. The Guild has also had a longstanding presence at the Schomburg Center.Learn about the history of the Guild and current members — including Judy Andrews, Eartha Watts Hicks, Marc Polite, Angela Dews and Minnette Coleman — will be reading from their works. A brief Q & A will follow the readings.
November 12 – Online (or Phone Access) Book Publicity Workshop
Exciting news for writers! On Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m., the NWU NY Chapter will be hosting a free workshop with Lydia McCallen on how to grow your readership and book sales through PR.
As authors, we no longer live in a world where if we write, readers will come. Today we have to promote our book for people to find it, read it, and fall in love with it. Book Publicity can help you reach thousands of your ideal readers and result in more sales.
In this free one-hour Book Publicity Workshop, you will learn how to gain media interviews to help grow your book sales. Topics include:
* 8 PR strategies that you can use right now
* how to get the media’s attention
* How to write a compelling pitch
* What goes into a fantastic press kit for your book
* How to get media interviews that translate into book sales
Book Publicity Workshop – Novmember 12, 6:30 PM (EST)
This free Book publicity workshop will give you an overview of how to get your book and author brand featured in the media, so you can make more book sales.
Make sure you add the Book Publicity to your calendar!
Date: Nov. 12
Time: 6:30pm EST
Access Online: Zoom Link (no download necessary- just click the link)
https://zoom.us/j/547663878?pwd=b0MzNWY5VW15VFdIUE5zYklIQ3hMUT09
Access by Phone: One tap mobile
+16465588656,,547663878# US (New York)
+17207072699,,547663878# US (Denver)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)
Meeting ID: 547 663 878
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acYLbAHknx
November 13 – NY CHAPTER STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
MEMBERS WELCOME!
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
6 – 8:00 PM
256 W. 38 St., 12 floor (UAW conf. rm)
New York, NY 10018
Your input is welcome as we discuss plans for 2020 and how to build the union.
You will have an opportunity to discuss how we can work together to help our members and build the union.
RSVP: sheard2001@gmail.com
DECEMBER
December 7 – Monthly Open Mic
The NWU hosts a monthly Open Mic on the Third Floor of the Muhlenberg Library (209 West 23rd Street, NYC)
ALL writers are welcome to read or just come to listen to inspired words and participate in this uniquely supportive group. from 2 PM – 4:30 PM.
You’re sure to go home with new contacts and resources to advance your own work. No registration needed to read.
Hosted by NWU NY Steering Committee members Alexandra Faiz and M.A. Dennis.
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Muhlenburg Public Library
209 W 23rd St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
(near Seventh Avenue)
Fully accessible to wheelchairs.
FREE ADMISSION
NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.