Words, Power, and Community: Dr. Eve L. Ewing
Engage in an important and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Eve L. Ewing, acclaimed author, educator, poet, and cultural organizer whose work explores race, education, identity, and community. Through writing that blends scholarship, storytelling, and activism, Dr. Ewing has become one of today’s most influential public voices on culture and education.
Explore the power of language and storytelling as Dr. Ewing reflects on how words shape public memory, challenge systems of inequality, and help communities imagine new futures. From classrooms and libraries to poetry and popular culture, this conversation will consider the many ways stories influence how we see ourselves and one another.
This event invites attendees to think critically about the role of literature, learning, and community in times of change. Whether you are familiar with Dr. Ewing’s work or discovering it for the first time, this conversation promises insight, inspiration, and meaningful discussion.
Dr. Ewing is author of several books including her poetry collections Electric Arches (2017) and 1919 (2019) and her nonfiction works Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side (2018) and Original Sins: the (mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism (2025).
Moderator
Brandis Friedman will moderate the event. Friedman is a writer and anchor for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, and also serves as a champion for libraries
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a Member based initiative of the Illinois Library Association and a statewide collaboration among public libraries.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided for all Illinois Libraries Present events by default--no special request needed.
The City of Evanston is committed to promoting a Citywide culture of accessibility and inclusivity. To request an accommodation for a program, service, or activity, please call 847-866-2919 to make an ADA service request or fill out a Request form online.