Thug Life Army

On Monday, May 9 at 6:00 pm, The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, will present An Evening with Sonia Sanchez, in the College’s Founders Auditorium located at 1650 Bedford Avenue. Hosted by critically acclaimed hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, and accompanied by reflections from renowned poet Amiri Baraka, Ms. Sonia Sanchez, The Center’s Writer in Residence, will read from her work and offer thoughts on poetry, Black literature, and arts advocacy.

A poet of the Black Arts Movement of the 60’s, Ms. Sanchez’s work boldly paints the social and historical experiences of Black Americans and frequently challenges stereotypes of Black women. Her use of Black vernacular and jazz inflected verse has been a strong influence on the modern Black literary aesthetic. Winner of the Robert Frost medal in poetry, one of the highest honors awarded to an American poet, Ms. Sanchez is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, including Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Beacon Press, 1999); Does your house have lions? (1995), which was nominated for both the NAACP Image Award and National Book Critics Circle Award; and Homegirls & Handgrenades (1984), which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation.

Joining her in discussion will be renowned poet and playwright Amiri Baraka, also a key figure of the Black Arts Movement. A prolific and distinguished writer whose work has garnered numerous literary prizes and honors including fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, and the PEN/Faulkner Award, Mr. Baraka's recent poetry collections include Funk Lore: New Poems (1984-1995) (1996); Transbluesency: The Selected Poetry of Amiri Baraka/Leroi Jones (1961-1995), (1996) and Wise Why's Y's: The Griot's Tale (1995).

The evening will be hosted by chart topping, hip-hop recording artist Talib Kweli whose latest album, The Beautiful Struggle, was recently listed in People Magazine’s “Top Ten Albums for 2004.”

General admission is $15. VIP tickets, which include admission to a jazz cocktail reception following the reading and a complementary copy of Sonia Sanchez's CD, "Full Moon of Sonia," are $30. Students with a valid college ID can purchase tickets for $10. Tickets are available in advance at Medgar Evers College and Nubian Heritage Book Stores in Brooklyn (Fort Greene, 560 Fulton Street, 718 497-4400 and Bedford Stuyvesant, 718 398-4288).

The program, a Center for Black Literature fundraiser, is co-sponsored by the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs and College Now. For more information about this or other Center for Black Literature events, please call 718 270-4811 or 718 270-6983. For press inquiries, please call 718-270-6926.

About The Center for Black Literature

An Evening with Sonia Sanchez is just the latest in a series of exciting activities the Center for Black Literature has planned for 2005. The Center, an outgrowth of the College’s recurring National Black Writers Conference, aims to expand, broaden, and enrich the public's knowledge and aesthetic appreciation of the value of black literature. Having recently held symposiums on both the impact of reading, and the work of Gwendolyn Brooks, the Center’s upcoming events include a career fair. The Center also plans to hold a book fair in June, emphasizing young adult and children’s literature, hosted by New York Assemblyman Roger Green.

Medger Evers Collage web site HERE .