Joyful (Re)Connections: Reflections on Our Experience @ The 2024 August Wilson Block Party

Last Saturday, we had an amazing opportunity to participate in the August Wilson block party. Every single year, we reconnected with people from across the city and the country who placed a high value on reading coupled with a deep appreciation for books featuring Black protagonists. One person said,

“I have never seen so many books with Black faces on them. I love that you have books with Black folks from all walks of life. Thank you!”

This year was especially amazing because our sons launched their first enterprise under our bookstore, named The Dream Writers’ Collection. With joy and entrepreneurial spirits, they set off to sell notebooks and pencils that would inspire their peers to dream big dreams!

Second, we also included for the first time 4 storytimes at the August Wilson block party. Some children sat on comfortable pillows, while smaller children sat upright in their baby strollers. With such a wide range of children, we chose to read playfully interactive books, which led to deep laughter, answering and posing of meaningful questions, as well as thoughtful comments about the book. During the storytimes, community members walking down the street also took time to listen to the books. One adult who listened to the storytime said,

“I loved your storytime! It reminded me of the bookmobile when I was young. I remember there was a man who read stories just like you did today. He inspired my love of reading.”

Creating an inspirational and dream-enabling experience for children that centered on books was a core mission!

Third, we were able to connect countless family and community members with high-quality, dream-centered books! We took great enjoyment in constantly updating our collection and finding hidden gems that had strong storylines.

In conclusion, we were always thankful to participate in the August Wilson Block Party because it reinforces a spirit of community, togetherness, and Black joy! It was always our honor and pleasure to participate in it! We are, of course, looking forward to next year’s Block Party!

Check out the pictures from the Block Party