Lunch with LitNYS Season 1, Episode 1

At the Girls Write Now office in September, leaders from literary organizations across New York gathered to discuss strategies for strengthening their communities. Literary organizations are facing a slew of challenges, whether it’s a lack of funding or attempts to ban diverse literature. Despite these problems, these leaders are continuing to pave the way for a flourishing literary landscape. Dr. Brenda M. Greene is a Professor of English, and Founder and Executive Director Emeritus of the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in reaching out to people where they are and making literature relevant to their everyday lives.

Public universities are not seeing [us] as a priority, although we’re a really important part of Medgar Evers College…We’re not only educating people around reading and writing and the academic disciplines, but we’re educating them to be change agents. To transform themselves and the world— a strong knowledge of self, of culture.

Whether she’s engaging in political conversation with a cab driver or bringing in local elders to tell their stories, Dr. Greene and the Center for Black Literature are elevating meaningful dialogue and literature for us all.

We have to come up with deliberate ways to support each other. You support writers by buying their books. You support the independent Black bookstores and independent stores in general… You think about ways to bring other people into the space.