An Afternoon with Nikki Giovanni



This afternoon we welcomed Nikki Giovanni to Richmond Public Library as part of our Teen Summer Reading Program. Natasha and I got to do the welcoming remarks and it was exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. What an incredible experience.

Nikki was funny, honest and held nothing back. You could tell that the 200+ members of the audience really connected with her as they laughed with her. Even though there were mostly teens present, there were several adults of all ages, and even after putting out more chairs it was still standing room only at the end. She read four poems for us, the first two being I Am a Native Tennessean and Nikki-Rosa.

She spoke to the teen audience about the importance of education and of going to college. 'You can't afford to be stupid, and that no one can afford to go, but you have to make it happen. You have to make your dreams happen.' You are "not in school to make grades. You are there to change the world. That is your goal."

Like all authors, she also gave a little advice to those who were aspiring writers. "How many of you have seen an object on the street and come up with a story about how it got there?" You have to have something to say. "It is up to you to find the narrative of your own life."

As someone who just turned 30, I was especially pleased that she told the teens that even though you are told that these years are the best of your life, they aren't. That your 40s and 50s are. 42 is especially wonderful. Marian Anderson was 42 when she sang on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial. Rosa Parks was 42 when she refused to give up her seat on the bus. So, at least I can look forward to a magical year and a great decade!

My favorite piece of advice that she gave was this "if they don't like you, they don't get to hurt your feelings." If they are saying that, then the probably already didn't like you anyways. "You can't let people who don't love you, hurt you, or describe what you do."

Ending the program with her fourth reading of Ego Trippin, you would have thought we were at a rock concert. The crowd erupted like their favorite number one hit was being performed, and even recited some of the lines with her!

Helping to make an event like this happen, and getting to be a part of it is one of the many reasons why I love being a librarian. Thank you Nikki for such a wonderful and inspirational afternoon!

Natasha, me, Nikki and Sarah

Girls of Summer 2012

We are very lucky in the RVA to have several local talents, including a bunch of authors! I first met Gigi Amateau when we were discussing her book, Claiming Georgia Tate, at JMHS this past fall. This is her second year working with her friend, and author Meg Medina on their Girls of Summer Reading list.   Books about amazing, strong girls for amazing, strong girls! The list is made up of 18 titles for girls of all ages; and includes fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. The complete list is posted to their Girls of Summer website.

Amanda, Wendy Shang, Meg Medina, Gigi Amateau, & Natasha

If you were not downtown at Library Park on Tuesday, June 19th, you missed a real treat! Oh and ice cream too. The girls introduced each book at random with a short review, which are also posted on their website.

We were also treated to a conversation with a conversation with Wendy Shang, author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu.

Wendy used to be a lawyer, and a few years ago she found herself wondering what was the one thing she hadn't done that she still really wanted to do? The answer was write a children's book!

It is hard to grow up and have one foot in two different cultures and no one is every completely comfortable with it. You are always told, to write about what you know, so she did. Which was also the reason why Lucy is twelve.Wendy remembers being twelve better then most other times in her life.

But she also wanted to make Lucy different, so she made Lucy a short, basketball player. (Gigi will tell you that is great basketball in the book!)

Wendy's advice to aspiring writers is this: read! Read a lot, read everything. Write a lot, write a little every day, and learn to edit your own work.

I am so excited to read The Great Wall of Lucy Lu and Breadcrumbs (in addition to some of the other titles on the list)! I had a great time, and am really looking forward to next year's list!