We are now less than 24 hours away from The Soulful Chicago Book Fair and we sure hope we'll see you there. With all the hard work that's been put into the making of this event there's no question it's going to be a great time. There will be food, entertainment, and a spectacular gathering of authors that should not be missed. Last year we had the most incredible turn out of 3,000 people. We had authors selling out of their books and people having a complete blast and there's

The Soulful Chicago Book Fair is not your typical book fair. From tip to toe the SCBF has a deep dedication to amplifying the voices of a diverse group of Black people and that includes young people. This year we have some fantastic young people who will share their books at this year's fair! These talented young people embody the essence of the fair. They show that is never too early to have a story and that every voice matters, young and old. This fair presents a unique ven

By design, The Soulful Chicago Book Fair relies heavily on the Chicago community. It began when a woman with a clipboard and the right venue gauged the interest in a Book Fair designed for Black authors located by and for the Black Community. She discovered that with just a clipboard, tens of people wanted to know more but more than that, wanted to see such an event happen. Now the fair is in its second year and it wouldn't be possible without the support, interest, and the

When my work with the Soulful Chicago Book Fair started around a month ago, I was keen to see what kind of movement it was. Being a Chicago native and a writer, I believed in the mission and in the hard facts that the SCBF was a successful event in 2016, sporting a list of attendees 3,000+ people strong. It's safe to say, the spirit and determination that made that impressive first year has only grown stronger in 2017. Though I didn't see the event last year, every author I'v

With just a mere five days between now and The Soulful Chicago Book Fair, it's fair to say that we have hit the final stretch. Though this week is jam packed, I had a chance to talk about what this final stretch looks like from The Soulful Chicago Book Fair's founder, Asadah Kirkland. So here's a little behind the scenes look of the work that's being put in in these final days. As I write this, across the city signs promoting the fair are popping up in the windows of business

Joy Elan began writing when she was a child. She loved literature from a young age and knew that she would, one day, become a writer. Elan was also born with hearing loss which resulted in her wearing hearing aids since she was 15 months old. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in African American Studies and then went on to get her Master's Degree in Education from Stanford University, all the while facing down and surmounting the obstacles she faced with her disability

Cassandra Washington’s book, Teach and Take Time for You, was a book she came to after a career as an educator, principal, and teacher in the Chicago Public School System for 26 years. In that time she became intimately familiar with some of the less discussed challenges that teachers face in their career, mainly, teacher burnout. In a profession that requires a deep, personal commitment to the children and investment into their lives, it is important for educators to find a