Our Mothers' Gardens Book Festival

Celebrating our literary foremothers and forefathers, and the healing and liberating practice of literacy, The Obodo Collective will host OUR MOTHERS’ GARDENS BOOK FESTIVAL on the grounds of the Obodo Urban Farm in the heart of the Historic Westside.

This free community event brings internationally renowned and local authors together for a day of live readings, workshops, and cultural programming in the spirit of Obodo’s mission of joining the community in nurturing our bodies, hearts, and minds. Community booksellers Analog Dope and Multicultural Books will be onsite selling books for signing by our featured authors. Library resources provided by the Clark County Library District and the North Las Vegas Library District. Food and beverages will be provided by Simply Pure and The Chef Jeff Project.  

Courtesy of festival sponsor MeowWolf, the first 100 attendees will receive a free copy of Marita Golden's "The New Black Woman." All attendees will receive a free book courtesy of our literary partners at McSweeney's Publishing and our community partner Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority.

This event has been made possible by the generous support of the Meow Wolf Foundation, with additional support from UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute, Nevada State University, The College of Southern Nevada, McSweeney’s Publishing, and the continued love and fellowship of our community in the Historic Westside.  Capacity at the Obodo Urban Farm is limited, so we ask that you please register for this event. 

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Festival Welcome: Claytee D. White and Obodo Collective Executive Director Tameka Henry

11:00 AM - 11:50 PM MARITA GOLDEN

The New Black Woman 

12:00 PM - 12:50 PM AYANA MATHIS  

The Unsettled: Untangling the Roots of Pain & Legacy 

1:00 PM - 1:50 PM NABILA LOVELACE

Springing Ripe: Cultivating Freed Selves

2:00 PM - 2:50 PM FRED MOTEN and NIELA ORR

LAS VEGAS ROOTS 

11:00 AM - 11:45 PM DARIA PEOPLES

Read Aloud & Create Your Own Stories 

12:00 PM - 12:50 PM LALA THOMAS

Sixteen & Pregnant 

1:00 PM - 1:50 PM IYANA ESTERS with Obodo Farmer Cheyenne Kyle

Birthed from the Soil 

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM VOGUE ROBINSON

Sowing Seeds of Emotional Wellness: A Workshop with Poet Vogue Robinson 

"Empowering Communities, Celebrating Diversity."-Team Obodo

Sunflower Pavillion (interactive readings and workshops)