As is our custom the regular readers of Centering BIPOC Voices have selected books for March and April. Looking ahead for the next two months will allow all who are interested to obtain copies of the books in advance

On March 12th anyone who has read The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw should join what might be a lively discussion. The nine stories in this volume uncover vignettes in the lives of four generations of Black women. Kirkus, a review source preferred by many librarians, notes: “No saints exist in these pages, just full-throated, flesh-and-blood women who embrace and redefine love, and their own selves, in powerfully imperfect renditions.”

Then, in April on the 9th, the discussion will revolve around African Europeans: an untold history by Olivette Otele.  Released in 2021, Otele’s narrative shares a history of Africans living in European countries from the time of the Medici’s into the 21st century. Kirkus offers this assessment: “…the author causes us to rethink the way we consider the terms African and European. With impeccable scholarship, she puts them together in a new context, showing what it has meant to be African, European, or both.”

The books chosen for Centering BIPOC Voices are always available in ebook, audio, and print formats. Some are available from the Leon County Library. We meet via Zoom on the Second Saturday of the month from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

To receive the link for the discussion, additional material about the books, and more information about Centering BIPOC Voices and the Covenant we strive to live into contact Robin Gray through the UUCT Church Office.