Dr. Georgia McDade Illuminates the Literary Legacy of AAWA and Unveils The Genius Conference
Photos by Cydney Stephens
Dr. Georgia McDade, Cofounder and Charter Member of the African American Writers Alliance (AAWA), stopped by The Day With Trae, joining host Trae Holiday to delve into her rich literary journey and shed light on The Genius Conference, an upcoming collaborative effort between AAWA and Langston Seattle. As the segment commenced, McDade offered a glimpse into her affection for literature, tracing it back to the spur that ignited her love for reading.
"I do not recall when I could not write," McDade said. "I had an elder sister and an elder brother who taught me all these things before I started school."
McDade's professional journey into storytelling began long before her illustrious career as an English educator spanning over three decades in the Seattle-Tacoma area. As an undergraduate English major at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, McDade was given an assignment that she considers the catalyst for her literary passion. She was tasked with interviewing the oldest individual she knew and found herself talking with her grandmother.
"My grandmother was not a slave, but her mother was, and she had these stories she did not talk about very much, but I remember we talked about Roots, McDade said, recalling discussions of Alex Haley's 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. "The worst part of Roots for her was when Kunta Kinte's foot was cut off. She could talk about it until she got there, and then something happened. There was this wall. She would not go beyond that, and it just hurt me that she couldn't talk about it, but I understood."
Kunta Kinte is the novel's protagonist, a young man taken from Gambia and later sold into slavery in the United States.
"I just thought, there are all these stories out there, and we've lost them," McDade said. "So I have become a roving reporter trying to get people to tell their stories, and I always say it doesn't matter how well [or] how poor you write; somebody can help you, but you will have to put the story down."
This ethos has seen McDade spearhead an anthology series within AAWA. This collaborative endeavor brings together group members, children, and writers from across Seattle to contribute to a communal book of diverse storytelling.
"I can recall a person in Seattle saying that there were five Black writers in Seattle, and that was a number of years ago, but it still hurts. It wasn't true then; it probably was never true," McDade said. "But that's the number this person knew and had a platform and could make that statement like that. I never, ever want anybody else to make such a statement. And at the pace, AAWA is going now, nobody ever will."
McDade's connection with the African American Writers Alliance (AAWA) traces back to its genesis in the early 1990s, a pivotal moment when she answered a call for writers of African descent to meet up through an advertisement in the pages of the Seattle Times. Invited by a friend to attend and intrigued by the prospect of joining a community of like-minded individuals, McDade went to Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, where the inaugural meeting took place. Since then, McDade's commitment to AAWA has remained unwavering as she has grown the organization to what it is today.
Since its inception, AAWA has burgeoned into a thriving community, boasting a membership exceeding 40 individuals and having accumulated nearly 300 participants since its beginning in the 90s. United by a shared passion for storytelling and cultural expression, the alliance has left an indelible mark on Seattle's literary landscape, with a legacy of over 80 published books to its credit, numerous anthologies, and partnerships with local institutions such as Elliot Bay Book Company, which it has the honor of having the most extended partnership with and multiple art galleries in Seattle in which the AAWA writers cover the various pieces.
As for what is currently in the works, AAWA has its inaugural Genius Conference, a collaborative endeavor between AAWA and Langston. This event promises to be a transformative two-day Arts and science showcase on June 7th and 8th. With a focus on fostering partnerships with underserved communities, the conference will offer diverse workshops, performances, catering, and educational opportunities, all free of charge.
"We want everybody to come. You get the opportunity to meet writers. We read books, but we don't always get to meet writers, but you'll get to meet writers," McDade said. "Of course, we'll have our anthologies. Writers will have their books there. We'll have people who are not in the group."
Speakers that will grace the stage include best-selling author and Converge's Love and Relationships coach Debrena Jackson-Gandy, who will deliver a keynote address. Joining her are Civic poet & playwright Jourdan Imani-Keith, hip-hop storytellers The Griot Party, Sistah Sci-Fi founder Isis Asare, and life coach playwright and pastor Debra Kendrick. KUOW deputy online managing editor and award-winning journalist Liz Brazile and The African-American Writers' Alliance will also contribute to this event. From thought-provoking discussions to performances, the Genius Conference focuses on bringing everyone to the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute this summer.
To register for this event, click here.
To stay update on events happening in Seattle, tune into Trae every weekday at 11 a.m. on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.
