By Marc W. Polite
Good morning, my readers. Yesterday was the Inaugural Jersey City Book Fair. It was held at The Bethune Center, and it’s purpose was to celebrate literature, and connect readers and authors to the community.
Co-founded by Marc Polite and Millicent Ansah, this event brought out authors, poets, and education advocates for a good purpose.
The day began with a welcome from the co founders, and an overview of the Bethune Center and the programs offered from the director Alvin Petit.
During the course of the event, attendees had the opportunity to hear awesome poetry performances from James C. Ellerbe, Ameerah Shabazz, and SNC the Poet.
There were nearly 20 vendors present at this book fair. Among the organizations present were JC Writers, bookstore Stelton Distro, The Italian American Writers Association, The Harlem Writers Guild, and the Jersey City Free Public Library.
There were two panel discussions. The first was – Every Book has a Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. Moderated by Marc Polite, it featured Dr. Sarah Webb, Megha Sood, Savage Writer, Eartha Watts-Hicks, Cyn Gracie Sylvie. This discussion delved into the ins and outs of the writers journey, and gave aspiring writers tangible tips to go from an idea in your mind, to a book you publish.
The second panel discussion was moderated by Millicent Ansah, featuring Deborah Oriol, Christy Limbach, Emerlyn Deline, and Disha Mathur. The subject was Why Diverse Voices Matter in Children’s Literature. This conversation focused on the necessity of people from different backgrounds to see themselves in stories.
Mayor James Solomon stopped by the fair in support, greeting authors and attendees.
This event was a collaborative effort. Through months of behind the scenes planning and strategizing meetings, the Jersey City Book Fair came into fruition. It was a lot of work, but it was totally worth it. I’m grateful to everyone who came out to yesterday’s event.
This event was a success. I’d like to thank all of the vendors, sponsors and volunteers who made JCBF what it was. The intention is to make this a yearly event. For those who missed our event yesterday, hopefully you can join us at our next event in 2027.