Tag: DC Public Library

Author Talk: George M. Johnson All Boys Aren’t Blue

In recognition of Banned Books Week, DC Public Library welcomes George M. Johnson, award-winning author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and “We Are Not Broken.”

The DC Public Library is thrilled to host author and activist George M. Johnson, honorary chair of the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week initiative. Johnson’s memoir “All Boys Aren’t Blue” has become one of the country’s most banned library books.

George will discuss their work and the recent trend of book banning taking place nationwide.

100 Signed copies of “All Boys Aren’t Blue” book will be available after the conversation thanks to the DC Public Library Foundation and Mahogany Bookstore.

About the Author

George M. Johnson is an Award-Winning Black Non-Binary writer, author, and activist in the NYC area. They’ve written for major outlets, including Teen Vogue, Entertainment Tonight, NBC, The Root, Buzzfeed, Essence, Ebony, THEM, and The Grio.

They have also served as Guest Editor for BET.com’s Pride month. They were awarded the 2019 Salute to Excellence Award by the National Association of Black Journalists for their article “When Racism Anchored your Health” in Vice Magazine and named The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2020.

They are the author of the New York Times Bestselling Young Adult Memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue discussing their adolescence growing up as a young Black Queer boy in New Jersey through a series of powerful essays. The book is a Teen Vogue Recommended Read, a Buzzfeed Recommended Read, a People Magazine Best Book of the Summer, a New York Library Best Book, and a Chicago Public Library Best Book. It was optioned for Television by Gabrielle Union’s “I’ll Have Another Productions” and Sony TV.

George serves as the executive producer and co-writer for the upcoming series based on their real-life college experience at the HBCU Virginia Union University.

George’s memoir We Are Not Broken is the vibrant story of George, Garrett, Rall, and Rasul — four children raised by Nanny, their fiercely devoted grandmother. Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin, calls the book “a deeply impactful account of intergenerational love that reveals the power of accepting young people exactly as they are while encouraging them to be ever more themselves.”

 

Let’s Get Organized: Fighting Book Bans Together

For Banned Books Week, National Book Award–honored author Kyle Lukoff (Too Bright to See, 2021 Young People’s Literature Finalist), DC Public Library Teen Services Coordinator Joanna Harris, and Managing Director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs Nadine Farid Johnson sit down to discuss the value of writing, publishing, and access to diverse books, and how we can come together and unite against book banning. Join us for a conversation with and for artists, booksellers, educators, librarians, parents, students, writers, and readers of all ages.

REGISTER HERE

Kyle Lukoff, National Book Award–honored author of Too Bright to See, 2021 Young People’s Literature Finalist.

Joanna Harris, DC Public Library Teen Services Coordinator.

Nadine Farid Johnson, Managing Director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs.

Hannah Oliver Depp, owner of Loyalty Bookstores and President of the New Atlantic Independent Bookseller’s Association.