Literary Salon: History, Memory, Craft
How do fictional narratives weaving through intimate and collective histories allow us to see our trappings and imagine futures where we are all more free? Join us for a reading and discussion with award-winning writers Zinzi Clemmons author of What We Lose (2017), and Crystal Hana Kim, author of If You Leave Me (2018), whose works explore the intimate legacies of political upheaval, race, migration, sexuality, motherhood, trauma and loss, and the malleability of memory.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Zinzi Clemmons was raised in Philadelphia by a South African mother and an American father. In 2011, she co-founded the literary journal Apogee, and currently serves as Associate Editor at the Believer and as Contributing Editor to Literary Hub. Her debut novel, What We Lose (Viking 2017) was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the National Book Critics Circle Leonard Prize. She was a 2017 National Book Award 5 Under 35 Honoree. She teaches writing at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Crystal Hana Kim’s debut novel If You Leave Me was published in August 2018. She was a 2017 PEN America Dau Short Story Prize winner and has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Hedgebrook, Jentel, among others. Her work has been published in or is forthcoming from The Washington Post, Elle Magazine, Nylon, Electric Literature, and elsewhere. She is a contributing editor at Apogee Journal and is the Director of Writing Instruction at Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband.
Details and Accessibility: This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is preferred but not required. The venue is accessible to people with mobility disabilities. Please contact BCRW for additional accessibility needs.