THE COLOR OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CONFERENCE

"Join us at the New York Times Conference Center in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, April 8, 2017, 8AM-5PM as we prepare to honor Walter Dean Myer's legacy with a conference that celebrates our voices, our stories, our truth. Kweli's spring conference is an excellent opportunity for writers and illustrators of color to learn, get inspired and network with others in the industry. We have an exciting line up for the day with a keynote address by New York Times bestselling author, CYNTHIA LEITICH SMITH, and panels and workshops with 2017 Caldecott medal winner, JAVAKA STEPTOE , Coretta Scott King award winner PAT CUMMINGS, FRANCISCO X. STORK, winner of the 2010 Schneider Family Book Award for Marcelo in the Real World and TRACEY BAPTISTE, whose latest novel, The Jumbies, was named to Bank Street's Best Books of 2016. 

Please note that there will be three separate tracks this year: a Publishing Track, a Novel Track and an Illustrated Books & Nonfiction Track. Our panels and workshops will cover topics from the craft of writing to the business of writing. Top editors, agents, and authors will discuss crucial steps to help launch a writer's career and offer carefully considered manuscript critiques. Critiques will run concurrently with panels, and books will be available for sale and signing. More information on all this soon."