2026 Black Girls Who Read Summit

Consider purchasing tickets on our website at www.bgwr.org to save significatly on fees and enjoy any applicable discounts!

Kick the weekend off with curated cocktails and vibes as VIPs meet spotlight authors in an elevated happy hour. Everyone else gets into the spirit with hotel happy hours right at the host locations — think low-key luxury, games, giveaways, and early connections.

Coffee station opens early to kickstart your day — vibes on the patio, pathway to connection, and space to settle in before programming begins.

Meet up close with authors, engage in book chats, and catch keynote talks that spark insight and curiosity — all while soaking in real conversation with your favorite voices.

Pull up to a live book club session and explore a vibey marketplace filled with vendors, exclusive merch, and curated finds that feel like the perfect literary flex.

Lunch goes casual and catered — grab bites, sip a cash bar cocktail, and vibe out with people who get it. VIP guests will enjoy a curated brunch menu, included with their ticket.

Wind down with a bowling bash — music, laughs, playful competition, and a chance to keep the weekend energy flowing. Included with VIP tickets, but available as an add on experience enhancer.

Start your April Sunday with intentional connection through an Easter service at One Community Church. Then choose how you want to serve:

Bookbag + Brunch: Fill backpacks for youth and enjoy community fellowship.

Self-Love & Spa Experience: Slow down with wellness rituals designed to rejuvenate — think pools, steam, and intentional care.

We’re lifting up the next generation of creatives with our youth creative writing program — a space to honor brilliance and encourage future storytellers.

Keynote Speaker: ReShonda Tate — NAACP Image Award winner and national bestselling author whose body of work spans film, fiction, and cultural impact.
Workshops & Panels: Live book club discussions, writing workshops with industry pros like Lissa Woodson (Naleighna Kai), and deep-dive panels that are sure to entertain.
Vendor Marketplace: Shop bookish gems + lifestyle finds that match your aesthetic and elevate your life beyond the summit.

VIP Experience Includes:

• Welcome Happy Hour to kick off the weekend in style w/ upgraded welcome gift
• Exclusive access to the VIP Prologue Mixer
• Early Summit entry with access to the VIP Lounge, a curated lunch, and premium gifts
• Bowling After-Party access included
• Elevated experiences throughout the weekend with additional VIP-only gifts
• BGWR Boundless Legacy Project t-shirt for VIP community service guests
• Entry to the Gala for a polished close to the celebration

General Admission

• Full access to summit day programming
• Welcome packages + drink ticket to start the weekend right at the welcome happy hour
• Community connection + optional add-ons like bowling + service experiences

Info: All registered guests, including VIP and General Admission, are invited to join us for a relaxed Welcome Reception & Happy Hour hosted at both of our partner hotels.

Upon check-in, each guest age 21 and over will receive one drink voucher. This voucher may be redeemed at the hotel bar during the scheduled happy hour on the day of arrival, or saved for use on another date during your stay.

It’s our way of saying welcome. Settle in, sip something good, and ease into the weekend with your fellow book babes.

Info: VIP guests are invited to enjoy an extended happy hour with early access to our evening mixer at the venue.

VIPs will receive 90 minutes of exclusive access to mingle with our featured authors in an elevated, intimate setting before doors open to other guests. Upon arrival, VIP guests will be welcomed with an additional complimentary welcome drink, plus entry into a special VIP door prize drawing.

When the mixer opens to General Admission, VIP guests will enjoy guaranteed seating, allowing you to stay comfortable while the night continues to unfold.

Info: All guests are invited to kick off the weekend at The Prologue: Welcome Mixer, an upbeat R&B vs Hip Hop game night designed for connection, laughs, and just the right amount of competition.

Entry is included with your ticket, so pull up ready to vibe. Food and drinks will be available for purchase separately throughout the evening at Brew City Kitchen & Cocktails.

Expect good music, playful games, bold energy, and a room full of women who love books, culture, and a good time. This is the official tone-setter for the weekend.

Come cute. Stay late. Choose your side.

Info: VIP guests will enjoy early check-in access ahead of General Admission. This allows you to skip the main lines, enjoy coffee and a light breakfast, and settle in before the summit officially begins.

Early check-in ensures a smoother arrival, priority support, and extra time to get oriented so you can move through the day with ease.

Info: General Admission guests will check in during the standard check-in window prior to the first scheduled summit session. During check-in, you’ll receive your event credentials and any applicable materials needed for the weekend.

We recommend arriving on time to allow for a smooth entry and to ensure you’re ready when sessions begin.

We can’t wait to welcome you in and get the experience started.

Info: Join us for The Write Stuff, an interactive writer’s workshop led by Naleighna Kai, designed to help you move from inspiration to execution.

This session is for aspiring and established writers alike. Whether you’re developing your first manuscript, refining your voice, or figuring out how to move your work into the world, Naleighna Kai brings practical insight, real strategy, and lived experience to the page.

Expect guidance on storytelling, clarity, confidence, and what it truly takes to honor your ideas with action. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress, intention, and finally putting pen to purpose.

If writing has been calling you, this is your sign to answer.

Info: We begin the summit by gathering together for opening remarks and a powerful keynote conversation featuring ReShonda Tate alongside Honey Beigh, Founder of Black Girls Who Read.

This opening session is an invitation to pause, reflect, and reset. Together, they will explore what it means to rewrite our narratives, reclaim authorship over our lives, and recognize the real impact we have within our communities when Black women lead with intention.

This is more than a welcome. It’s a grounding moment that frames the weekend ahead, reminding us why we gather, why our voices matter, and how our stories move beyond the page and into purpose.

Info: Marketplace closes from 12:30-1 for Authors to enjoy lunch, but the cash bar and entertainment opens for socializing.

Info: Our Youth Programming is thoughtfully designed to engage young minds through creativity, connection, and play. This experience includes an American Sign Language (ASL) workshop, hands-on bookish activities, and outdoor fun to encourage movement and exploration (weather permitting).

Children and youth will be guided through age-appropriate activities that promote communication, literacy, and self-expression in a supportive and welcoming environment. Each element is designed to spark curiosity while allowing kids to learn, create, and enjoy the day alongside peers.

This space is about joy, growth, and giving our youngest attendees a meaningful summit experience of their own. Adults are free to enjoy this experience as well!

Info: Deric Augustine is an accomplished actor best known for his work on the hit television series All American, All American: Homecoming, and The Rookie. Across these roles, he has built a reputation for emotionally grounded performances that reflect cultural depth, authenticity, and lived experience.

Expanding his creative voice beyond the screen, Deric makes his literary debut with Nawlins, a story deeply rooted in place, memory, and identity. Inspired by New Orleans, Nawlins treats the city as more than a backdrop. It becomes a living influence, shaping the characters, themes, and emotional rhythm of the narrative. The book explores heritage, belonging, and the complexity of home with care and intention.

In this intimate 45-minute fireside chat, Deric reflects on his evolution from actor to author, sharing how his background in performance influenced his approach to writing, character development, and dialogue. He discusses the creative process behind Nawlins.

Info: Following the award presentation, we transition into a Live Book Club Panel with Octavia Grant and Kaylynn Hunt. Together, they will lead a dynamic conversation centered on themes from their work, reader reflection, and the shared experience of Black women engaging deeply with story and self.

This closing moment brings us back to why we gathered. To listen. To reflect. To celebrate impact. And to leave inspired to carry these stories beyond the room and into our communities.

Info: Attending authors are invited to take advantage of our Author Headshot Station, open throughout the event for professional-style portraits.

This is an opportunity to refresh your author headshot for websites, press kits, social media, and future promotional needs. Whether you’re updating your brand or capturing a new look, this station is designed to help you show up polished and camera-ready.

Stop by when it fits your schedule and step in front of the lens. Your next chapter deserves a fresh image.

Info: We close the experience with a relaxed Networking and Social Hour, creating space to connect, reflect, and celebrate the weekend together.

During this time, the marketplace will officially close, allowing authors and attendees to mingle freely, exchange contacts, and enjoy meaningful conversations without distraction. Authors are encouraged to use this window to wrap up, connect with readers and peers, and take advantage of any remaining time at the Author Headshot Station for updated photos.

This final hour is about community, collaboration, and carrying the energy forward. Slow the pace, make the introductions, and leave with connections that last beyond the event.

Info: For our guests, 18+, keep the vibes going at our Bowling After Party at Bowlounge in the Design District. This is where we loosen up, laugh a little louder, and end the night on a high note.

Shoes are included, and all guests will receive complimentary socks upon arrival. Enjoy light bites throughout the evening while you bowl, mingle, and unwind- all included with your ticket. A cash bar will be available, and VIP guests will receive one complimentary drink to kick things off.

Whether you’re aiming for a strike or just here for the energy, this after party is all about fun, connection, and letting the day roll into a memorable night.

Info: Join us on Easter Sunday for a special time of worship, reflection, and renewal as we gather for church service at One Community Church in Plano.

This Easter service offers a meaningful opportunity to celebrate hope, resurrection, and new beginnings while closing out the weekend in community. All guests are warmly invited to attend and experience an uplifting message rooted in faith, restoration, and purpose.

Come as you are.

Info: Guests will enjoy a delicious brunch meal and a drink voucher, all while participating in our Backpacks & Books service initiative — filling backpacks with essentials and encouraging notes for local youth for our annual backpack drive.

Info: Guests will enjoy full access to thermal soaking pools at WorldSprings (official summit sponsor), steam rooms, foot baths, and wellness rituals inspired by global traditions — the perfect way to decompress after a powerful summit.

Info: Pull out that little black dress and join us for an evening of distinction as we close the weekend in style.

The Final Chapter Gala is an elevated night of reflection, celebration, and connection. Guests will be welcomed with a complimentary champagne toast as we honor the moments, conversations, and community that defined the weekend.

Please note: meals and additional drinks will be available for purchase and are per guest.

Dress Code:
? Black Evening Attire Required
This is a blackout moment. Think refined, intentional, and elegant.

Come dressed to reflect. Stay for the toast. Leave remembering the chapter we wrote together and celebrate our inaugural class of 2026.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Black Girls Who Read