The Mosaic Literary Conference fosters a collaborative space for individuals interested in literature, education, and the arts. Free Event.

​This year’s event will explore how narratives of Black joy can serve as both resistance and renewal, expanding conversations around identity, creativity, and liberation while inviting writers, artists, and thinkers to engage joy as a critical force in shaping literary and cultural futures.

​Friday, November 20, 2026: 6–8 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2026: noon–7 PM

​Location: DREAM Charter School Mott Haven, 20 Bruckner Boulevard, The Bronx

​Friday, November 20

• ​5:30 PM: Doors open and community gathering

• ​6:00 PM: Workshop • Inheritance as a Verb: Joy, Memory, and Ancestral Healing
  • Veronica Agard

• ​7:00 PM: Workshop • A Piece of Joy
  • Kleaver Cruz

• ​7:45 PM: Closing and community time

• ​8:00 PM: Event ends

  ……….

​Saturday, November 21

​Host: Tio

• ​Noon: Workshop • How to Like Your Friend Again!: Navigating Non-Linear Friendships
  • Soil Sistas: Seyhandra Benjamin and Folake Aina

• ​Noon–3:00 PM: Workshop • Complimentary Portrait Activation
  • LR2 Studio

• ​1:00 PM: Workshop • Making the Mundane Sacred: Black Joy, Movement & the Stories Our Bodies Carry
  • Sabrina Frómeta

• ​3:00 PM: Panel • Addressing Quiet Loneliness: The Critical Key to Unlocking Joy
  • Moderator: T. Francis
  • Panelists: Donna Marie, Dalaeja Foreman, Candace Johnson, Tanya D. Jones

• ​4:00 PM: Panel • In Honor of June Jordan & Other Black Literary Ancestors
  • Moderator: Trace DePass
  • Panelists: Ehime Ora, Laney Jade, X Olamina, The UnGrateful Black Artist (UGBA), Marcus Stokes

• ​5:00 PM: Panel • Black Men Read: Turning the Page on Joy
  • Moderator: Matteo J.
  • Panelists: Leslie Buttaflysoul Taylor, Anthony “Da Kidd P.G.” Bagle, Clarence A. Haynes

• ​6:00 PM: The Black Joy Project: A Conversation with Kleaver Cruz
  • Moderated by Branden Janese

• ​7:00 PM: Conference closing

BIOS

ABOUT MLC

The Mosaic Literary Conference fosters a collaborative space for individuals interested in literature, education, and the arts. MLC plays a crucial role in promoting creative thinking and knowledge sharing within the community. By inviting educators, community and arts organizations, as well as the general public, the conference facilitates a diverse and inclusive exchange of ideas.

PAST
CONFERENCES

MLC creates a space where literature, education, and the arts intersect. Past conferences have examined the legacy of James Baldwin, queer identity, and Audre Lorde, and sparked dialogue on pressing social and cultural issues.

MOSAIC
LITERARY
MAGAZINE

Inspired by the annual conference, Mosaic is a print and virtual publication showcasing the work of writers of African and Latinx descent.