DON’T MUTE MOE // Busboys and Poets Books Presents
Date and Time
Feb 19, 2023 5:00 pm
Location
Anacostia
2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20020
Feb 19, 2023 5:00 pm
Anacostia
The newly released book DON’T MUTE MOE is a call to action by Ronald “Moe” Moten, based on the author’s three decades of changing lives, empowering Black youth and families, and making communities safer for “his people” in his beloved Washington, D.C.
Moe had more than two dozen op-eds published in the Washington Post, the Washington Times, and other media outlets between 2006 and 2021. Ronald’s new book is a selection of 16 of those op-eds that have stunning relevance today. Each op-ed is paired with an in-depth interview conducted by journalist Jeffrey Anderson, who has been both a critic and a supporter of Moe’s activities over the years.
The interviews by Mr. Anderson are remarkable and disturbing in their depiction of current social issues plaguing Black urban youth, families, and communities. In the words of one reviewer, "'Don’t Mute Moe' is an incremental uncovering of the steps Moe has taken to ensure the Black community in D.C. isn’t just a fond memory for future generations. He is actively putting the pieces in place for Black D.C. to grow with the city and not be pushed out or 'MUTED.' [The book] illuminates how [Moten], an activist fighting for equity and economic development (among other things), has taken on the responsibility of answering this question, not just for himself, but for the entire community."
Moe and Jeffrey will be joined by Andy Shallal on the Busboys stage for a celebration event and discussion of their new release. This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 5:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. DON’T MUTE MOE will be available for purchase before and during the event. Please note that this event will NOT be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books.
Ronald "Moe" Moten’s positive impact on Black lives since his incarceration in the early 90s caused a genuine change of heart is a matter of public record. It began with his early experience coordinating Black youth for the Million Man March, and led to him co-founding the effective and sometimes controversial Peaceoholics, where he brokered more than 40 cease fires and permanent truces between gangs (called "crews" in D.C.). Moten also has played a major role in the well-documented reduction of violence in the 2000s, and more recently, in the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities for former members of the gay gang Check It and others, thus enabling economic development, establishing the Go-Go Museum, and starting the "Don’t Mute D.C." movement that resulted in Go-Go becoming the official music of the District of Columbia.
Jeffrey Anderson is an award-winning journalist and the editor of District Dig, D.C.’s premier source for long-form journalism and investigative reporting on local government, politics and culture. His body of work spans from Los Angeles to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and consists of in-depth reporting on criminal and civil justice, government corruption, and a wide range of social and political issues.
Andy Shallal is an artist, social entrepreneur and founder/CEO of Busboys and Poets, a restaurant group in the Washington Metropolitan area where art, culture and politics intentionally collide over mindfully sourced food, drinks, books and event programming. With nine locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, Busboys and Poets has become a home for progressives, artists, creatives and intellectuals, including such notables as Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover, Alice Walker, Angela Davis and the late Howard Zinn. As a leader in the sustainable food movement, Busboys has been recognized locally and nationally for its innovative, conscious cuisine. Under Shallal’s leadership, Busboys has received numerous awards including the Mayor’s Arts Award, Employer of the Year from the Employment Justice Center and the Mayor’s Environmental Award.
