Investing in literacy and transforming minds
12th November 2024 · 0 Comments
By C.C. Campbell-Rock
Contributing Writer
Controversial and award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates and Joy-Ann Reid, author and host of MSNBC’s “The Reid Out,” are coming to New Orleans for an evening of public discussion anticipated to encourage sentiments of unity in a nation questioning its path forward.
“A Historic Evening of Dialogue,” an event that will delve into the intersection of literature, social justice and the power of empathy, will take place at Xavier University’s Convocation Center on November 15 at 7 p.m.
The event aims to break through the partisan divide and unify those who understand what must be done to chart a path to a successful future.
As DJ Johnson, the founder and CEO of Baldwin & Co. bookstore and coffee shop, declares, this will be a literary event of unparalleled significance, not just for the attendees, but for the entire community.
“The evening promises to explore empathy, power and progress. These are two of the most influential people,” Johnson says.
Coates, a National Book Award winner and recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, is known for his thought-provoking essays on race and identity. He will engage in dialogue with Reid, a respected journalist and author who recently toured the country with her latest book, “Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America.”
The themes of empathy, power and progress are prevalent throughout Coates’ latest New York Times best-selling book, “The Message.” It is a collection of three essays about his travels to Dakar, Senegal, Columbia, South Carolina and Palestine.
Coates’ frank, clear-eyed statement about growing up Black in America, as documented in his book, “Between the World and Me,” significantly impacted American discourse.
In “Equalizer 2,” Denzel Washington’s character, Robert McCall, made a deal with Ashton Sanders’ character, Miles Whittaker, a young teen from McCall’s neighborhood. If Whittaker read Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book “Between the World and Me,” McCall would pay him to paint his kitchen.
“The empathy, power and progress Coates and Reid will bring go far beyond the typical author’s talk,” Johnson adds. “Implicit biases dictate what we do here, and we retreat to our echo chambers,” he says of one of the reasons he’s hosting such a historical dialogue.
Johnson sees tough conversations and constructive discourse introducing different thoughts and ideas across the divide as a mechanism to break through “psychological biases” and implicit biases that dictate what people hear. “It’s almost like the Super Bowl,” Johnson muses.
“It’s our first test to see if we can handle these literacy and educational events. It’s an event where we can grow critical thinking skills.”
Johnson grew up in the 9th Ward and attended St. Maurice and McMain before leaving New Orleans to pursue higher education. He attended Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University, earning an MBA.
He worked as an IT Manager for the federal government and corporations in Washington, D.C., until he returned home to care for his ailing mother. As his mother’s health improved, boredom got the best of him, and, in 2019, he decided to open a bookstore.
The self-described “avid reader” wanted to help people by fostering literacy among youth and adults who have trouble reading and lack critical thinking skills.
“There is no greater investment in our future than literacy,” Johnson explains, offering a sad statistic: 70 percent of incarcerated individuals read on a fourth-grade level. “Literacy is the key to success,” he adds. Literacy can also lower the crime rate and reduce mass incarceration.
“Lacking basic reading and writing skills is a tremendous disadvantage. Literacy enriches an individual’s life and creates opportunities for people to develop skills to help them provide for themselves and their families. Baldwin & Co.’s mission is to improve literacy and to improve the world,” according to the company’s statement.
The young entrepreneur and single father believes that minds and lives can be transformed for the better through literacy and belief in the power of one.
To drive home the point, Johnson quoted Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see,” meaning that people should take responsibility for changing the world instead of waiting for others to do so. And that’s what Johnson did.
He adds that a person doesn’t have to commit to changing many things, just one, pointing to the reproductive freedom movement. “Look at the impact one person can have and do.”
Baldwin & Co. is a Black-owned independent bookstore that serves individuals, schools, businesses, nonprofits and others. The company uses the power of books to inspire social justice, just as Johnson was inspired by his store’s namesake, James Baldwin, the iconic author and civil rights advocate.
Johnson named the bookstore after Baldwin because of the author’s uncompromising books about race, identity and social justice.
Baldwin & Co. donates hundreds of books, foods, beverages and other resources to impoverished communities.
“Our mission is to inspire growth in people and communities through the power of reading. Based in New Orleans’ historic Marigny neighborhood, Baldwin & Co. is a vibrant community hub and a center for intellectual discovery where authors, readers, artists and activists gather in a welcoming and supportive environment,” says Johnson.
Baldwin & Co. aims to promote and teach the ability to read, view, write, design, speak and listen in a way that allows people to communicate effectively and create better opportunities for themselves and their families.
The company hosts free community events connecting authors and readers of all ages to celebrate the literary arts. Attendees receive free books, food, beverages and author talks.
Through innovative programming, Baldwin & Co. provides equitable book access, cultivates literacy skills and promotes a lifelong love for reading.
For more information and to purchase tickets to attend the Coates & Reid Event, contact Baldwin & Co. via email at info@baldwinandcobooks.com or call 504-354-1741.
This article originally published in the November 11, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
