Panel of Diverse Women Authors Explore Cultural Nuances in Writing

In recent history, there has not been a more challenging time than now. There has never been a period when more unity, compassion, acceptance and multi-cultural understanding is necessary. The New Hampshire Writers’ Project is responding to this need by presenting a virtual panel discussion, “Speaking Of: Women of Color” on Saturday, April 16, 2022 from 4:30 pm to 6 pm.

Six women authors of diverse origin and culture will be sharing what they write about and how their varied backgrounds led them to pursue writing as a form of self-expression or education.

Rosa Marie Bell, Afro-Panamanian educator, multicultural moderator, and executive producer of a weekly broadcast “Cafecito Cultural,” is moderating the panel of authors.?Bell’s career has been devoted to bringing more interest about cultural work.

The panel includes:

Brinda Charry, an immigrant from India to the United States. She is both a fiction writer and a specialist in British Literature with a focus on English Renaissance Literature, particularly Shakespeare. She is also a Professor of English at Keene State University. Her next historical fiction book, The East Indian is based on the first person from India who came to North America in the 1630s.

Christine Nih’shaw Almstrom, a children’s book author who is of Blackfeet/Onondaga Iroquois descent. ?Her latest release,?Ikto’mi the Trickster, is a collection of stories about the Sioux trickster Ikto’mi written in English and Lakota. It is the third in a series of continued collaborations with Red Cloud Lakota School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Gledè Browne Kabongo, originally from Dominica, in the Eastern Caribbean is an author of psychological thrillers. She is the Eric Hoffer, Next Generation Indie, IPPY, and National Indie Excellence?Award-winning author of the Fearless Series,?Our Wicked Lies,?Fool Me Twice, and?Conspiracy of Silence. Kabongo is another of the six participants.

Hanh Bui, at the age of eight, she and her family left war-torn Vietnam for their safety and a new beginning. After nine days at sea, they were rescued by the United States Navy. Later, as an educator, she noted there were few books with Asian American characters or stories written by Asian Americans. She decided that, if she couldn’t find representation in children’s literature, then she would write it herself. She has two children’s picture books being released over the next two years. ?Her books are inspired by her refugee experiences and her Vietnamese heritage.

Loretta LC Brady, a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of psychology at Saint Anselm?College, directs St. Anselm’s Community Resilience and Social Equity Lab. She is the author of?Bad Ass & Bold: A?Transformative Approach to Planning with Your Loves, Dreams, and Realities in Mind. Her latest book is Technology Touchpoints?Parenting in the Digital Dystopia.

Masheri Chappelle, received a B.A. in theater and writing as a Smith Scholar graduate of Smith College. Chappelle is of African American descent and is a playwright, novelist and intuitive consultant. She uses her profound intuitive experiences in the first in a series of paranormal romances, The Descendant,?The?Oracle Files:?Escape. Set in the 1800’s, the novel presents themes of slavery and a heroine who is “passing.”

The panel discussion is the first of the “Speaking of” series of Panel presentations. It is taking place through the Zoom teleconference platform. The event is free to New Hampshire Writers’ Project members. The fee for non-members is $20.00. Register at https://bit.ly/35ReaQ8