NCRL to host bestselling authors Ijeoma Oluo and Jason Reynolds for virtual programs in August

North Central Regional Library (NCRL) will host bestselling author Ijeoma Oluo on Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m. as part of their NCRL Virtual Reads summer series. This event is cosponsored by Confluence Health, the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, and the Icicle Fund. Partners include the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center and Wenatchee Valley College.

Ijeoma Oluo is the bestselling author of So You Want to Talk about Race, a hard hitting, user friendly examination of race in America. The book guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.

The goal of NCRL Virtual Reads is to bring communities together through reading the same book and hosting author events that spark conversations, curiosity, and learning. NCRL is proud to partner with Confluence Health, the Community Foundation, and the Icicle Fund to bring Ijeoma Oluo to North Central Washington and provide a platform for important conversations about anti-racism. 

NCRL is also hosting Jason Reynolds, award-winning and bestselling author of novels and poetry for young adult and middle grade audiences on Tuesday, August 25 at 4PM. Reynolds' books include the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Long Way Down, Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, and most recently Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You co-authored with Ibram X. Kendi. Reynolds is the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (2020-2021).

All NCRL Virtual Reads events are free and open to the public. Events will be held through the Zoom digital meeting platform. During each event, attendees will hear from the author and then have an opportunity to submit questions for the author to answer live. To participate, register at http://www.ncrl.org. 

Books by these authors are available on Overdrive and Hoopla, NCRL's digital library collections. An eAudiobook of So You Want to Talk About Race is available with no wait times through July 27. Learn more at http://www.ncrl.org/ebooks.  For more information: http://www.ncrl.org