“These words have impact, they can make and change anything,” said Thomas Anthony Waller, Board Chair Emeritus of the National Black Child Development Institute (NCBDI), when addressing a room full of donors, poets, writers, and activists at the 2024 “Creative Gathering.” Held on October 17, 2024, at the ZuCot Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia, the event brought together a community dedicated to improving the quality of life for Black children and families through literature. The annual gathering, hosted by NCBDI, featured a keynote speech delivered by renowned poet and author Kwame Alexander, whose personal story highlighted the theme of legacy, creativity, and empowerment.
Recalling his father, Dr. E. Curtis Alexander’s role in co-founding NCBDI in 1970, Alexander expressed the significance of speaking at an event tied so closely to his family’s history. “This is full circle for me,” Alexander remarked. He fondly remembered how his father pushed him to aim high and never settle for less, sharing his father’s words, “Nobody lowers my son’s goals. He doesn’t know he can’t make it,” Alexander told.
In an exclusive conversation with The Atlanta Voice, Alexander shared a message he would give to his younger self, a boy growing up with aspirations, which would be realized, “Remember that you are the greatest, not because you are better than anyone, but because no one is better than you,” said Alexander.
In addition to the keynote, the evening featured performances that honored Black creativity. Poet Ariana Francesca performed for the audience with her spoken word performance of “Black Abundance”. Atlanta Mayor, Andre Dickens, also contributed to the evening with pre-recorded remarks, adding his voice in support of NCBDI’s mission.
Attendees of the gathering were given a special “Toy Box”which contained children’s books by Black authors. Titles included “How to Write a Poem” by Kwame Alexander, “Leaves to My Knees” by Ellen Mayer, and “Born Driven” by Wendell Scott. The box also included a puzzle.
Dr. Leah Austin, CEO and President of NCBDI, took the stage to address the ongoing societal challenges impacting the organization’s mission. In light of the 2024 election and the growing wave of book bans across the nation, Dr. Austin emphasized the critical role NCBDI continues to play in advocating for Black children. “The National Black Child Development Institute has been around for 54 years, and unfortunately, many of the issues we were originally trying to dismantle persist,” said Dr. Austin to The Atlanta Voice, “Book bans targeting Black and Brown literature are not just attacks on books; they are attacks on identity. It’s a diminishing of people. It’s a dehumanization,” Dr. Austin continued.
As book bans and efforts to silence Black voices escalate, NCBDI remains steadfast in its commitment to advocacy, organizing, and movement-building cited Austin, “We’re not just a direct service organization,” she explained. “We’re about advocating, organizing, and movement building. This fight will continue, regardless of who is in the White House.”
Kwame Alexander, too, addressed the recent efforts to restrict access to Black literature. In his message to parents and educators, he urged them to empower children by allowing them to explore the world of books freely. “Books are amusement parks, and kids ought to be able to choose the rides,” said Alexander. “Let your child choose the book they want to read. To teachers, let your students choose the books. It’s not enough to get kids to read; let’s get them to want to read.”
During the evening Allyson Smith, Event Host and Vice President of Community Mobilization at NCBDI, gave a “call to action,” urging the audience to use their creativity to shift narratives for Black children. “Whether it’s your music, your spoken word, your visual arts—whatever creative expression the divine has given you—we are using that to shift narratives about Black children,” Smith said. “Drawing from the wisdom we learn from our ancestors, we know that changing the narrative can indeed create change in the world.”
Smith spoke to the core values of NCBDI, particularly the concept of Afrofuturism—a reimagining of a future where Black identity, agency, and freedom thrive. “Afrofuturism is a movement that envisions a liberated future for Black communities,” said Smith. “Through the stories we tell, the myths we break, and the new visions we create, we honor this legacy with our creativity and our commitment to justice.”
