Charlene Allen

...in the U.S., the originators of Jazz had to enter the clubs through the back door while their protégés got to stride through the front. The originators never got to accrue the generational wealth their protégés were allowed to accrue. The problem is that we still pretend this isn’t so.

Remembering amazing jazz by Elliaver (@elliaver_music) at Le Duc de Lombards (@ducleslombards) in Paris, which pays homage to the legendary Duke Ellington. To me, the problem with “cultural appropriation” isn’t sharing art; artists want and need to feed one another. The problem is that...

What an honor to speak about Juneteenth and restorative justice at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA. Our beautiful meeting space looked out over a pond that resembled Monet’s garden, and I was blown away by the exhibits I got to experience afterwards. Don’t pass up this gem of an experience!

What a gift to be with my sisters in Paris last month! So many thanks to @theamericanlibraryinparis for hosting my Writing From Life workshop! I absolutely loved sharing my experience with eager and talented young writers.

The world is crazy, but the books are still good! Here are my latest faves: A literary adult historical, and two middle grades, one historical, one a time-travel fantasy. An eclectic bunch, each delicious in its own way. What are other people reading to delight and enlighten these days?

I'm so proud that My Fairy God Somebody is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! If you enjoy it, please leave a review!

Literally the colonization of our minds and our art.