Acclaimed Nigerian-born author Akwaeke Emezi drew us into their debut novel Freshwater. Like Pitch artist Allison Janae Hamilton, Emezi explores ancestral relationships, the world of ghosts, spirituality, and the “mysteries of the self ” in a semi-autobiographical tale about Ada, a girl with multiple identities and “one foot on the other side.” Patrons joined us for a reading followed by a conversation with Emezi, who was named as one of the National Book Foundation’s ‘5 Under 35’, and Hamilton.

This program was supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.