The Africana Studies Department presents “Black Women Authors, Black Women’s Lives” on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. in the Student Union Building, ballroom B. Serving as the closing for Black History Month as well as the kick-off for Women’s History Month, the event features performances from bestselling author Kimberly Lawson Roby, poet Evie Shockley and playwright/author Karen Jones Meadows.
Photo: Kimberly Lawson Roby
Following this event, the Women’s Resource Center presents a benefit for the Sabrina Single Mother’s Scholarship featuring comic actress Maysoon Zayid and musical group Indigie Femme at 8 p.m. at the Wool Warehouse, 518 First St. NW.
Roby is the bestselling author of “The Best Kept Secret,” “Behind Closed Doors,” “Casting the First Stone” and many more. The issues her books tackle include single motherhood, infertility, sibling rivalry, domestic violence, sexual abuse and gender discrimination in the workplace.
Shockley’s poetry books include “half-red sea” and “The Gorgon Goddess.” She explores African American literature, American poetry and poetics, and gender and critical race studies.
Meadows is the author of award-winning plays such as “Harriet’s Return,” “Henrietta,” “Major Changes” and “Tapman.” She also conducts interactive seminars exploring the dramatic healing impact of creative writing.
Zayid, an actress and stand-up comedian, appeared in the Adam Sandler movie “You Don’t Mess with Zohan” and can be seen on Comedy Central’s “The Watch List” and PBS’s “America at a Crossroads.” She is the co-founder and co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival.
Indigie Femme weaves Navajo, Maori and Samoan cultures through traditional and original songs, dance and storytelling.
Tickets for “Black Women Authors, Black Women’s Lives” are $25 for adults or $10 for UNM students and are available at unmtickets.com or by calling (877) 664-8661 or 925-5858. Tickets for the Sabrina Single Mother’s Scholarship benefit are $26 or $20 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, 883-7800 or Ticketmaster.com.
For more Women’s History Month events, visit unm.edu/~women and click “Spring 2009 Newsletter.” Call the Women’s Resource Center at 277-3716 or Africana Studies at 277-5644.
Media Contact: Sari Krosinsky, (505) 277-1593; e-mail: michal@unm.edu