Calendar: Books, Art, Culture, Activism and Women

Community,
Often I get emails or tweets about events in the blogosphere or physical spaces. I receive dozen of event notices daily. It's impossible to create a blog for every single one. When I can, I'm going to post notices that are book, art, culture, activism or women related events to this thread. Check often. Please disregard the time stamp of this post instead look at each announcement. I'll try to be consistent with this format:
DATE
STATE
EVENT
DETAILS

Blogs have limited functionality. Check this thread by selecting the tab at the top of the page.

*********
DATE: September 4th
STATE: MI, Detroit. Don Bosco Hall Community Resource Center
EVENT:DEVELOPING K.I.D.S 2nd Family Ballroom Hustle Night
DETAILS:DEVELOPING K.I.D.S

**********************
DATE: September 4th
WEB: Blog Talk Radio
EVENT: Live Chat with poet, Jayne Cortez
DETAILS: Blood-Jet Writing Hour

***********
DATE: Saturday, October 17th
STATE: Washington D.C.
EVENT: The Annual Kidletosphere Conference
DETAILS: Conference details

About Us

Let there be everywhere our voices, our eyes, our thoughts, our love, our action, breathing hope and victory.~Sonia Sanchez

We are a community organization dedicated to empowering young women. We operate a library and offer support to young girls at local non-profit in Detroit. Our blog focuses on women writers of color. Founded in September 2005, my vision was to engage reluctant and non-readers. We were a lit studies group. To call us a book club is not only limiting but it fails to describe what I envisioned for us: a collective that explored the arts and made a connection between all art forms and our lives, a community where we encouraged one another and discovered our voices, a space where girls felt empowered by experiencing a cultural, political and a spiritual awakening.

Literature is our hub, a portal to new worlds. Our blog reflects our commitment to promoting women of color, women who look like and whose experiences mirror the experiences and aspirations of the girls whom we serve.

I have shifted my work with teens in Prevention to working with young women in the shelter and I still run the library. Our library serves all participants who attend programs provided by the agency, shelter residents, outreach participants and staff. Our collection boasts more than 3000 titles. Our collection is compromised of 80% if not higher, works by women of color about people of color. I co-facilitate social activities with a teen peer leader, and I currently mentor three teen bloggers. It has always been my goal to create a viable, formidable presence online. This is the twenty-first century. If you are not online, you are not connected, you are not progressive, you are not doing enough to promote an agenda of change.

Book Loan Program
We also operate an online book loan program here. For all active online members, you may borrow any title from our bookshelf from the shelf marked 'own.' You may borrow a book up to 30 days. We will ship books media rate. You must do the same with delivery confirmation. One book per loan. If you fail to return a book or fail to return it in the condition in which you received it, your loan privileges will be permanently revoked. Active member is defined but not limited to regular participation in this community. If you are unsure, write me.
Request books here.

More at Color Online
Color Online Book Blogs Discussion forum
Color Online Shelfari Discussion Forum
Our Bookshelf
Our Prize Bucket
Monthly Quiz

We are glad you are here. We welcome and celebrate many voices. Together, we are the voice of change. Hear us.

Join Us!

book discussions and more

Book Loan Program

For all active online members, you may borrow any title from our bookshelf from the shelf marked 'own.' You may borrow a book up to 30 days. We will ship books media rate. You must do the same with delivery confirmation. 1 book per loan. If you fail to return a book or fail to return it in the condition in which you received it, your loan privileges will be permanently revoked. Active member is defined but not limited to regular participation in this community. If you are unsure, write me at cora_litgroup@yahoo.com. Put 'book loan' on the subject line.

Requests
Post all loan request here. Use the following format:

Member Name
Book Title
Email

I will send you an email indicating if we have the book currently available and date mailed. Any questions, write me at cora_litgroup@yahoo.com

More Color Online
If you would like to discuss books or book-related topics at length, start a discussion at our Book Blog forum or Shelfari. Both are public forums but you must be a registered member.

Color Online Book Blogs Discussion forum
Color Online Shelfari Discussion forum

Stamp Fund
I strongly believe books are to be read and not hoarded nor collecting dust on a shelf. However, I also must accept my personal economic restraints. This program is funded out of my pocket. If you'd like to help to defray the cost of shipping books for our book loan program and prize books, $2 stamp donations are great. For a number of reasons, do not send cash to Color Online. Stamps are greatly appreciated.

COLOR ONLINE
PO BOX 1004
FARMINGTON, MI 48332-1004

Happy reading.

Feature Legend

New Crayons-Remember when you were a kid and getting new crayons was a big deal? Getting new books holds the same kind of magic for some of us big kids. Every week on Sunday, I post what's new in our box. I think crayons is a pretty cool metaphor for multicultural lit. Every week we receive a book is a good week.


COLA- Color Online Love Alert. This feature is two-fold. Some COLA items will be full blog posts while others will be links on found on our sidebar. Links and features highlight blogs, books and articles written by women of color or news about awards and articles celebrating the work of women of color writers, poets, artists and activists and multicultural publishers. Check the sidebar regularly for new COLA links.

Shades of Love- created to promote kidlet and YA books we want to share with you. When you see the Shades of Love tag or the symbol, you readily know the type of book featured.



Quizzes-Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Must provide your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Sunday Salon- A recap of the week's posts. We know everyone has a full life. Some days you aren't going to get by. Sunday Salon is posted Saturday night. Check it out and catch up on the week's activities.

What Do I Read Next- a regular feature. Each week Doret and I will recommend a title or a list based on a particular genre or themes. But for this to really work, we need your requests. Tell us what kind of books you enjoy or what themes you'd like to explore written by or about POC.

CORA Diversity Roll Call- a bi-weekly meme hosted alternately between Color Online and Worducopia each week, with a question that explores and celebrates diversity in literature. Different weeks may focus on racial diversity, ethnicity, abilities, sexual identity, social class, and so on. No need to officially sign up--join in each week as you wish.


Sewing Circle-created to promote adult literature by women of color we want to share with you. When you see the Sewing Cirle tag or the symbol, you readily know the type of book featured.

Susan Says- my rambling. Book-related, usually.
Camile has a regular column on Wednesday. She's liable to say anything and she usually does.
Reviews- we actively encourage our members to contribute. Most reviews are written by community members and we link back to their individual blogs.

With all this we also host contests and challenges. Spring 2010 we will launch our bi-annual e-zine. Stay tuned.

Contact Us

cora_litgroup@yahoo.com

Mailing Adress:
COLOR ONLINE
PO BOX 1004
FARMINGTON, MI 48332-1004