Every time I travel to DC I'm reminded of how much I enjoy this city.  It features good food, good friends and a good metro system.  This weekend's experience in DC was no different.  The events began on Friday evening with a reading at Dissident Display Studio that was co-hosted by The Backlist's Felicia Pride, who I just learned also edits the literary magazing, Mosaic. 

Dissident Display is an innovate design studio/gallery space in Northeast DC.  I was introduced to co-founder Adrian Loving through BK friend Diana McClure.  As dj/visual artist/film director and entrepeneur it was easy to see why and how Adrian was moved by Songs in the Key to allow me to use his space before he even read the book.   

Felicia read a selection from her forthcoming book The Message and we co-facilitated a conversation on that evening's theme, "Memories and Mantras." 

During a discussion to plan our event Felicia and I discovered that "Memories and Mantras" is an apt way to describe the overlap between our projects.  Her book homes in on the mantras she's developed from listening to Hip Hop, while mine traces back a litany of memories associated with a select group of songs/artists from the last thirty years of pop music.  

On Saturday, I was back at it again, this time at the Culture Shop, an eclectic venue that's part book store, part community resource and all around captivating epicenter of art, music and textiles from Africa and South America.  Along with an old friend from Yale who played host on Saturday afternoon, the reading at the Culture Shop was an opportunity to get acquainted with a troupe of librarians led by Eboni Curry who I met during Book Expo America.  We had a great conversation about faith and the unlimited possibilities of dreaming and the courage it takes to follow those dreams.  This discussion thread was inspired by my reading  from the "If It Makes You Happy" chapter.  It was the first time that I read from this chapter and it turned out to be very timely.  Happiness can be abstract, fleeting, but it's so personal and very courageous to pursue.  The discussion that ensued after the reading revealed to me that this chapter complements the introduction and to some extent, one can even say that it concludes the conversation on happines that ushers in Songs in the Key of My Life.

After the gathering at The Culture shop it was off to Maggie Moos for ice cream-the ideal night cap for this sojourn to Chocolate City.

Be Well

FL