The Lewis Latimer House in Flushing will host a free public reading on Saturday, May 31, featuring original memoir work from eight Queens-based writers exploring themes of race and immigration.
The event, titled “Writing on Race and Immigration: An Afternoon of Memoir,” will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the historic museum located at 34-41 137th St. The program marks the culmination of the museum’s latest Writing on Race & Immigration workshop series.
Each of the featured writers—Fortunie Cookie, Isabel Diaz, Gail Dottin, JoliAmour Dubose-Morris, Sumaiya Hernandez, Maya Reyes, Jessica Tang, and Sonam Wangmo—was awarded a full scholarship to participate in the four-month-long writing intensive. The series was led by author and educator Abeer Hoque, who will also facilitate the event.
“Writing about experiences grounded in my reality as an immigrant, a woman of color, and a non-native English speaker felt radical,” Wangmo said in a statement. “I felt heard, as voices like mine are easily excluded from the mainstream narrative. I am grateful to have participated in this unforgettable journey.”
Launched in 2019, the Writing on Race & Immigration series offers a platform for emerging writers from diverse backgrounds to explore personal narratives rooted in their lived experiences. The program draws inspiration from Lewis H. Latimer, the African-American inventor, poet, and Flushing resident who worked alongside Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. Latimer’s life and writings serve as a guide for participants to examine themes of race, immigration and social justice through memoir.
The initiative is made possible in part through public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the New York City Council.
The Lewis Latimer House Museum, a member of the Historic House Trust, preserves the legacy of Latimer and promotes public understanding of African-American and immigrant history in Queens. For more information about the reading and to register, visit bit.ly/AfternoonOfMemoir.
