The word SPEAKERS in bold yellow text is displayed against a black background with abstract book-like shapes.
  • Black and white portrait of an older person with a beard and short hair, wearing a dark ribbed sweater. They are looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression against a plain background.

    André Aciman

    André Aciman was born in Alexandria, Egypt and is an American memoirist, essayist, novelist, and scholar. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Call Me…

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  • A woman with long, dark hair and a black jacket stands in front of a wooden wall. She is wearing earrings and a necklace, and she is smiling softly at the camera.

    Samina Ali

    Samina Ali is an award-winning author, curator, and popular speaker. Her debut novel, Madras on a Rainy Day won France’s prestigious Prix Premier Roman Etranger and was…

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  • A man wearing glasses, a cap, and a black vest over a gray hoodie sits on a bench, gesturing with one hand. The lighting casts dramatic shadows on his face and the background.

    Gastor Almonte

    Gastor Almonte is a stand-up comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn, NY. He’s appeared on Comedy Central, HBO, Peacock and more. Timeout magazine named him one of your…

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  • A person with curly hair, wearing a white top and dark blazer, gazes confidently at the camera against a neutral background.

    Rana Ayyub

    Rana Ayyub is an Indian investigative journalist and a global opinions writer at the Washington Post. She has worked as a reporter, Editor and columnist with some…

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  • A person in a patterned sweater and headscarf is painting white bird silhouettes on a blue background. They hold a small brush, focusing intently on their work. A paint bucket sits nearby on the ground.

    Negina Azimi

    Negina Azimi, is an Afghan visual artist whose journey began on the streets and walls of Kabul as a member of ArtLords, a grassroots collective that used…

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  • A person with short hair and glasses smiles warmly at the camera. They are wearing a cozy striped sweater and a multicolored scarf, sitting indoors with a bookshelf in the background.

    Cece Bell

    Cece Bell is the author and illustrator of the autobiographical graphic novel, El Deafo, which chronicles her childhood experiences with hearing loss. It received a Newbery Medal,…

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  • Woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a blue jacket and green necklace, looking to the right, standing in front of a white textured wall.

    Ruth Ben-Ghiat

    Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda— and the threats these present to democracies around…

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  • Woman with braided hair, wearing a white sweater and jeans, sitting on a white surface against a minimalistic, light background. She has a calm expression and her hands are gently clasped.

    Aaliyah Bilal

    Aaliyah Bilal was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has degrees from Oberlin College and the University of London School of Oriental and African…

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  • An older person with blond hair smiles, wearing a brown hat, round pink and yellow glasses, a red tie, white shirt, black vest, and showing a tattooed arm. Stairs are visible in the background.

    Kate Bornstein

    Kate Bornstein is an author, playwright, performance artist, and actress. Kate is a trans icon whose pioneering books on the subject of nonbinary gender, Gender Outlaw and…

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  • A person with long, dark hair and a thoughtful expression looks upward. They are wearing a blue shirt. The background is neutral and light, creating a serene atmosphere.

    Carmen Boullosa

    Carmen Boullosa (Mexico City, 1954) is the author of nineteen novels (The Book of Eve, and Texas: The Great Theft translated by Samantha Schnee, Before, translated by…

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  • A woman with long blonde hair stands in front of a stone wall and a window. She is wearing a sleeveless green patterned top and is looking at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is slightly blurred.

    Jennifer Finney Boylan

    Jennifer Finney Boylan is the author of nineteen books, including Mad Honey, coauthored with Jodi Picoult. Her memoir, She’s Not There, was the first bestselling work by a transgender American.…

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  • An elderly man with glasses and a mustache is wearing a dark blue shirt over a white t-shirt. He stands with a relaxed expression in a softly lit, neutral-colored room.

    Carlyle Brown

    Carlyle Brown is a playwright/performer, curator and artistic director of Carlyle Brown & Company based in Minneapolis. His plays have been produced at theatres across the country…

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  • A person with short, tousled hair, graying at the roots, stands against a dark wooden background. They wear a light green jacket over an orange shirt with a striped neckline, looking into the camera with a neutral expression.

    Gabriela Cabezón Cámara

    Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (b. 1968) is an Argentine writer who has worked at varied jobs, from selling car insurance in the street to cultural journalism. She is…

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  • A person with long brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue shirt and a black necklace, is smiling in front of a piano with a lace cover.

    Nancy Naomi Carlson

    Nancy Naomi Carlson, winner of the 2022 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize, is a poet, translator, essayist, and editor, as well as a recipient of two literature translation fellowships…

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  • An older woman with wavy hair wears large brown sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. She dons a light blue floral blouse, multiple silver rings, and dangling earrings, standing against a light background.

    Joyce Carol Oates

    Joyce Carol Oates is the author of many works of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. She is the editor of New Jersey Noir, Prison Noir, A Darker Shade…

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  • A person with long, black, and green hair stands near a body of water, wearing a white shirt. There are lush green trees in the background. The expression is calm and neutral.

    Gina Chung

    Gina Chung is a Korean American writer from New Jersey currently living in New York City. She is the author of the novel Sea Change, which was…

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