Schomburg Centennial Festival 2026 | Personal Storytelling Workshop

Presented in collaboration with The Moth Community Programs

There is power in sharing your personal stories—the power to spark meaningful connections, to deepen self-awareness, and even to inspire social change. Over the course of a 2-hour intro to personal storytelling workshop, participants will have the opportunity to shape a life experience of your choosing into a well-crafted story. You will be guided by experienced Moth instructors who will help you recognize the elements of a compelling story, explore a unique story of your own, and connect more deeply with others in the room. As a highly verbal and interactive workshop, participants do not need to have any experience with writing or formal storytelling.

You do not need to have your story identified before the workshop begins; brainstorming story ideas is a part of Moth workshops!

Some of the things participants will experience include:

• Introduction to The Moth, storytelling principles, and why stories matter
• Watch a Moth story
• A brave and encouraging space to share ‘mini-story’ with other participants
• Techniques for bringing stories alive and engaging audiences

ASL interpretation will be provided upon availability of interpreters. Additional accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

Schedule and participants are subject to change.

The Moth is true stories, told live and without notes. We celebrate the ability of true, personal storytelling to illuminate both the diversity and commonality of human experience. Our work allows people all over the world and from all walks of life: astronauts, students, a dental hygienist, a hotdog eating champion, a mechanic, exonerated prisoners, veterans, Nobel laureates and everyone in between, to share their stories on stage in front of a live audience. Through live and virtual shows, storytelling workshops, a podcast, Peabody Award-winning Radio Hour, and New York Times Best Selling books, The Moth brings the power of personal storytelling to millions of people each year—creating community and building empathy around the world.

Learn more here: themoth.org

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E-TRANSPORTATION NYPL policy prohibits electric transportation devices (e.g., motorbikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards) from being brought into or stored at library sites for any length of time, as this is the best way to keep our spaces & people safe.

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING Programs are photographed by the Schomburg Center. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library.

Join us at our for a celebration of the African Diaspora through the power of literature, literacy, and community!​​ We convene communities of book lovers to interact with their favorite authors and comic book creators on 135th Street between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevards in Harlem, New York.

The Schomburg Centennial Festival will take place rain or shine on Saturday, June 13, starting at 11 AM. Visit our website at

The day begins with an opening cultural grounding and a keynote conversation. We continue with book talks and workshops, and more. A fan favorite from our Black Comic Book Festival, the Cosplay Showcase brings characters to life!

All day you can take part in readings, panel discussions, workshops, photo activations, bookish marketplace, mobile library, and more. We will close the day with musical performances and an old-school block party. Last year we celebrated with DJ D-Nice, Slick Rick and The Soapbox Presents. Stay tuned for our 2026 musical performance announcement!

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING Programs are photographed and recorded by the Schomburg Center. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Leah Drayton at [email protected].

Please note that professional video recordings are prohibited without expressed consent.

E-TRANSPORTATION NYPL policy prohibits electric transportation devices (e.g., motorbikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards) from being brought into or stored at library sites for any length of time, as this is the best way to keep our spaces & people safe.

ACCESSIBLILITY Accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

Leadership support for the Schomburg Center's Centennial is provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and Andreas C. Dracopoulos.

Additional support is provided by Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation.

The 2026 Schomburg Center Centennial Festival is powered by Puma.