For Adults
Join author, speaker and musician Antonio Michael Downing for a discussion about his debut novel, Black Cherokee with moderator Teneile Warren.
Presented in partnership with Words Worth Books.
Betty meets Queenie in this courageous coming-of-age story about a Black girl fighting for recognition in a South Carolina Cherokee community that refuses to accept her ancestry as legitimate.
Ophelia Blue Rivers is a descendent of Cherokee Freedmen: Blacks formerly enslaved by rich southern Cherokee. She is “Black” but doesn’t understand why that makes her different. She is “Cherokee” but struggles to know what that means.
Their town of Etsi—once a reservation—still lives with the wounds of its disbanding. When the town, and the river that sustains it, are put in mortal danger personal rivalries threaten their very survival. Against this backdrop Ophelia begins her spirited, at times harrowing, search for place and family. She must discover: what does it mean to belong when belonging comes at such a high price?
With dazzling language, keen insight, and an unforgettable voice, Black Cherokee is an astonishing novel from an emerging literary talent.
Antonio Michael Downing is the author of the acclaimed memoir Saga Boy and children’s book, Stars in My Crown. Antonio Michael is the current host of the CBC Radio program The Next Chapter, where he discusses books with authors and columnists. He spends his time writing books, singing songs, and trying to make his grandma proud. Black Cherokee is his debut novel.
Teneile is a Jamaican-born, Black, non-binary, and queer playwright and art activist based in Kitchener, Ontario. Their writing has been published in Briarpatch, Barren Magazine, CBC, Huffington Post and insidewaterloo to name a few. As a playwright, their most recent play, Beyonsea and the Mothers was commissioned and produced by Green Light Arts. Their play writing has been featured in theatre festivals across the country including Summerworks. Teneile is an alum of the Obsidian Playwrights' Unit (2013), they were the Artist-In-Residence at Buddies in Bad Times (2016) and the Artist-In-Residence at Green Light Arts (2024). They are also the Editorial Director of Textile Magazine, an arts collective that supports emerging writers and artists in Waterloo Region, particularly those from historically excluded and marginalized groups. Teneile’s art is a vehicle for social commentary and activism. Teneile holds an MFA in Creative Writing from University of Guelph. They are also a recipient of a King Charles III coronation medal, the Waterloo Region Community Foundation's 2024 Community Catalyst Award recipient and the 2023 recipient of the Black Excellence in Leadership Award.
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Programmer: Grace
Located on the west side of Waterloo, the John M. Harper Branch shares a building with the Stork Family YMCA. It features soaring ceilings, dedicated study space (including 3 bookable study rooms), a large Community Room and an outdoor courtyard.
