Leimert Park Book Fair

So this weekend (Saturday, June 30, 2007) is the inaugural Leimert Park Village Book Fair, hosted by one of my favorite bookstores, Esowon Books, and sponsored by several other organizations in L.A.

I'll be participating on a panel with my friends Jervey Tervalon (Understand This), Mel Donalson (Hip Hop in American Cinema), and Michael Datcher (Raising Fences: A Black Man's Love Story). I think we're on at 2:30 pm, but you can take a look at the event schedule to figure it out.

And be sure to listen to L.A. Speaks Out on Saturday morning. It's the Saturday morning talk show hosted by Jacquie Stephens on KJLH (102.3) in L.A. I'll be on a panel of guests on the show talking books, panels, and the significance of the festival.

This is pretty significant. Leimert Park is the only predominantly black arts and business district of L.A., which is significant given the demographic changes of L.A. in the past ten years. The area reminds me of a smaller-scale Brooklyn. There are many business types who want to get in and "develop" (i.e. gentrify) the area. They don't necessarily have the best interest of the residents, or particularly the black community at heart. That's another story.

So, there should be some major folks at the Leimert Park Book Fair: Hill Harper, Victoria Rowell, Eric Jerome Dickey, among a few.

That's Saturday, June 30. Gotta give people time to make room on their calendars :-)
fs