This article was published by The Yale Herald in 2020. Read the full length via the link below.
The Elm City Lit Fest, founded by Ife Michelle Gardin and coordinated by Sha McAllister and Emalie Mayo, made its virtual debut on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. The festival lasted through the following Sunday. It was words that brought people together that weekend—the power in them, the promises they spoke, and the feelings they evoked. The event flourished, with programs like “Black Children’s LIT,” “Black Voices in Theater,” and “Lit AF!” among others available to the public.
And let me tell you, they were lit. Although I wasn’t able to attend the live-streamed events, I watched the “Black Voices in Theater” and “Lit AF!” recordings. Both left me with a feeling of pride and ambition. The theater-makers reminded me of my power as a playwright-poet. The creative direction of “Lit AF!” taught me about virtual innovation in terms of showcasing performance.
This past weekend I spoke with the organizers. We covered everything: the backstory of the festival, the joys of literature, and the toxic bubble—or what Gardin likes to call the “plantation”—that Yale has constructed.