Thoughts After A Race Conference

Andy Shallal –

I just got back from a race conference in Atlanta, Georgia – here are 5 takeaways on how White people can be allies to marginalized communities in these trying times:
1. Challenge racism. Family and close friends is a good place to start. Try “calling them in” before “calling them out”. Use the “I” language. Engage, don’t retreat.
2. Don’t wear a safety pin. I know, you want to show that you are not racist. A safety pin is not the way. People who are affected by racism, sexism, homophobia, islamophobia and other isms know who their allies are. They just do.
3. Read books and writings by current Black and Brown writers. Not just Ta Nehisi Coates (which is not a bad beginning), but many others like Roxanne Gay and Jose Antonio Vargas.
4. Be prepared to be uncomfortable. Being comfortable in these discomforting times is not an option. This means listening more and saying less.
5. Expose yourself to races and cultures other than yours. Be more inclusive. Go to a museum, a church, a concert, anything. See Jacob Lawrence’s Migration series at The Phillips Collection. Go to an open mic program. Anything.

The Making of Busboys and Poets

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

We’re proud to announce A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, the new memoir from our CEO and Founder, which reveals the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind opening Busboys and Poets. Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, Andy Shallal’s memoir takes us on a “How I Built … Continued

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For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals.  He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.”  … Continued

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Palestine Week 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

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Busboys and Poets Book Review: Anger is a Gift

Mark Oshiro’s contemporary YA fiction is an incredibly moving story about community, about love, and about taking a stand against prejudice and violence, even when it seems completely hopeless, and it is especially difficult to read. Especially for someone like me, caught up in my own privilege and ignorant of the struggles faced by people … Continued

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The Ward 8 World’s Greatest Sweet Potato Pie Contest

The Ward 8 World’s Greatest Sweet Potato Pie Contest at Busboys and Poets Anacostia encourages Ward 8 residents to share their amazing baking skills and tasty treats with the community and Busboys and Poets tribe. Each entrant will receive a $50 Busboys and Poets Giftcard 10 Semi-finalists will receive a $100 Cash Prize  5 Finalists will receive a $250 Cash Prize The grand prize winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and … Continued

Rising Artist Frank Ocean did something important

Rising Artist Frank Ocean did something important

“We can thank Frank Ocean, not only for making a public statement that sweeps aside shadows and offers young fans another powerfully vulnerable star to admire and emulate, but for reminding us that while proudly declaring an identity can be a politically crucial gesture, often the human heart is not so sure-footed. The process of becoming and unbecoming, loving and losing, is what often makes for the most meaningful art.” – Ann Powers, NPR

Reflections on a Historic Week

Reflections on a Historic Week

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in a landmark decision the Facebook generation has quickly likened to the collapse of de jure segregation.