2024 Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Post-Conference Event
with DR. SONIA CHERRY-PAUL, DR. YOLANDA SEALEY-RUIZ and M. COLLEEN CRUZ
Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30PM
at Ballet Hispánico, NYC
Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul, Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, and M. Colleen Cruz
We’re thrilled to celebrate the upcoming release of ANTIRACIST READING REVOLUTION (Corwin, May 28, 2024) by educator DR. SONJA CHERRY-PAUL. Dr. Cherry-Paul and advocate/educator, M. COLLEEN CRUZ will be in conversation with award-winning professor, DR. YOLANDA SEALEY-RUIZ at Ballet Hispánico on Tuesday, May 28th, 7PM - 8:30PM EST.
In addition to the reading and conversation, there will be a dance interpretation of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, choreographed by Ballet Hispánico’s Rodney Hamilton. Unspeakable is one of the picture books that Dr. Cherry-Paul models in the Antiracist Reading Revolution.
THIS IN-PERSON EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Kweli Journal is excited to partner with Ballet Hispánico to present this special #Kweli24 post-conference event.
ARTISTS
DR. SONJA CHERRY-PAUL
Dr. Sonja Cherry‑Paul is the founder of Red Clay Educators. She adapted the #1 New York Times Best Seller, Stamped (For Kids), and is the author of several books for educators to support reading and writing instruction. An educator with more than 20 years of classroom experience, she has developed curriculum that centered the work of racial literacy in K-12 schools. She is co-director of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy, co-director of the Teach Black History All Year Institute, and executive producer and host of The Black Creators Series, an education-focused content platform that highlights the work of Black authors and illustrators.
Sonja provides professional development for schools and organizations on advancing the work of antiracism. Her forthcoming book is Antiracist Reading Revolution: A Framework for Teaching Beyond Representation Toward Liberation, published by Corwin (Spring 2024).
M. COLLEEN CRUZ
M. Colleen Cruz is a fierce advocate for the students and teachers with whom she shares her passion for accessibility, twenty-first century learning, and social justice.
An educator with over two decades of experience in both general education and inclusive settings, Colleen is also the author of several books for teachers including Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning from Mistakes and The Unstoppable Writing Teacher, as well as the author of a young adult novel, Border Crossing, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Finalist. Additionally, Colleen co-edits the Not This But That series with Nell Duke - a popular series of books that pairs research and practice.
Colleen has served as a senior staff developer and later the Director of Innovation at Teachers College Reading & Writing Project, Columbia University. She currently supports organizations, districts and schools who want to bring her unique combination of integrity, humor, real-world practicality and a rare depth and breadth of scholarship to their communities.
DR. YOLANDA SEALEY-RUIZ
Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz is an award-winning Associate Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on racial literacy in teacher education, Black girl literacies, and Black and Latinx male high school students. A sought-after speaker on issues of race, culturally responsive pedagogy, and diversity, Sealey-Ruiz works with K-12 and higher education school communities to increase their racial literacy knowledge and move toward more equitable school experiences for their Black and Latinx students. Sealey-Ruiz appeared in Spike Lee’s “2 Fists Up: We Gon’ Be Alright”, a documentary about the Black Lives Matter movement and the campus protests at Mizzou. Her co-authored book [with Dr. Detra Price-Dennis] Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education: Toward Activism for Equity in Digital Spaces was published in April 2021. Her first full-length collection of poetry Love from the Vortex & Other Poems (Kalediscope Vibrations LLC) was published in March, 2020, and her sophomore book of poetry, The Peace Chronicles was released in July 2021.
RODNEY HAMILTON
Rodney Hamilton began his training in his native St. Louis at several schools including Carr Lane V.P.A., the Center of Contemporary Arts, and Alexandra School of Ballet. He also studied with Ms. Katherine Dunham and joined the chorus at the MUNY where he performed for seven years. After arriving in New York City, he graduated with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School and joined Ballet Hispánico where he was a principal dancer and assistant rehearsal director for 10 years. Mr. Hamilton holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught ballet, modern, and Dunham technique all over the world. Mr. Hamilton is happy to be returning home to Ballet Hispánico as a faculty member at the School of Dance and to take on the role of BHdos Rehearsal Director.
KEY EVENT INFO:
Performance, Reading & Conversation feat. Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul, M. Colleen Cruz, and Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz
A #Kweli24 Post-Conference Event
Date: Tuesday, May 28th, 7PM - 8:30PM EST
Location: Ballet Hispánico (167 West 89th Street, New York, NY)
A Look Back | #Kweli24 Pre-Conference Event at Ballet Hispánico
with
Jacqueline Woodson and Autumn Allen; moderated by Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz
