The #CLEReads YA Book Festival celebrates stories encouraging young readers to find their voices and advocate for personal and community well-being. Featuring authors of YA fiction and nonfiction focused on mental health, self-care, social justice, and more, the festival aims to inspire teens to pursue healthy, empowered lives and positively impact the world around them.
Tuesday, October 1 | 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Cleveland Public Library, Main Library
525 Superior Avenue
Keynote Speaker
Common
Hip hop artist and actor Common is one Tony Award away from becoming an EGOT—Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony—winner. And that’s not counting his Golden Globe or any of the other numerous awards he’s won. Throughout his career he has used his art as a platform to change people’s perspectives, promote more diverse narratives, and encourage people to movement. At the podium, Common motivates audiences to nurture the dreams of the young, overcome adversity, and address the persistent hope that lives within us all. Compassionate, mindful, and driven to inspire, Common reminds audiences that we all have a voice—and we must speak out.
Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning artist, Tony- nominated actor, and activist, Common continues to break down barriers with a multitude of critically acclaimed, diverse roles, and continued success at the box office. His latest book, And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self will be released in 2024.
About Common
Following his 2011 memoir One Day It’ll All Make Sense, Common’s book Let Love Have the Last Word was released on May 7th , 2019. In Let Love Have the Last Word, the Chicago native reflects on his very personal journey and the raw moments that have shaped him into the father, son and man he is today. The book takes a therapeutic look back at Common’s life on the road, parenting his daughter, Omoye, his romantic relationships, and the complexities of living with aging parents. He finds himself revisiting his last moments with his ailing father, sharing the stage with the late Dr. Maya Angelou, and discussing new insights into his patterns of behavior with his therapist. Told in four parts in a stream of consciousness style, Let Love Have the Last Word is a rare and intimate look at a genius mind in constant evolution.
He’s renowned for his roles in films such as Selma, Barbershop and John Wick 2; his lasting influence on hip-hop culture, and his recurring role in the Showtime series he and Lena Waithe executive produce, The Chi. He starred in a number of films in 2018 including the animated Warner Bros’ Smallfoot
and the critically acclaimed Fox film The Hate U Give. Up next he will be seen in the action film The Informer; The Kitchen with Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elizabeth Moss; and Eve opposite Jessica Chastain.
Born as Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., he was raised in Chicago by his mother, a teacher, and stepfather. His debut 1992 album Can I Borrow a Dollar? garnered him a significant underground following into the late 1990s, after which he gained notable mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. Throughout his career, he has been nominated 16 times for the Grammys, winning three as well as an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work in Selma. Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the 2015 Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song Glory from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel. Common was nominated for an Oscar, a Grammy and NAACP Image Award for his song Stand Up For Something, which he co-wrote with Diane Warren.
For the past few years, Common has dedicated countless hours and has been deeply engaged in social justice and advocacy work around mass incarceration, mental health and voting. After the success and impact of his Imagine Justice concert in 2017 and his Hope & Redemption Tour to eight different prisons, Common decided to establish and launch Imagine Justice as a new nonprofit in 2018. Centered at the intersection of art and activism, Imagine Justice is dedicated to leveraging the power of art to advocate for communities around the country, to fight for justice and equality and to stand united against injustice wherever it appears.
About And Then We Rise
From the multi-award-winning performer, author, and activist, a comprehensive program for addressing mental and physical health—and encouraging communities to do the same.
Common has achieved success in many facets of his life and career, from music to acting to writing. But for a long time, he didn’t feel that he had found fulfillment in his body and spirit.
And Then We Rise is about Common’s journey to wellness as a vital element of his success. A testimony to the benefits of self-care, this book is composed of four different sections, each with its own important lessons: “The Food” focuses on nutrition. “The Body” focuses on fitness. “The Mind” focuses on mental health. And “The Soul” focuses on perhaps the most profound thing of all—spiritual well-being.
Common’s personal stories act as the backbone of his book, but he also wants to give his readers the gift of professional expertise. Here, he acts as the liaison to his own nutritionist and chef, his own physical trainer, and his own therapist, as well as to those who act as his spiritual influences.
Wise, accessible, and powerful, And Then We Rise offers a comprehensive, holistic approach to wellness that will allow readers to transform their thinking, their actions, and, ultimately, their lives.
FEATURED AUTHORS
Justin
Reynolds
CLE READS Co-Founder and Author of Shot Clock
About Justin
Justin A. Reynolds has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce Top Ten Debut, a School Library Journal Best Book, translated into 19 languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. His Marvel graphic novel debut featuring Brooklyn’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales: Shock Waves, was an instant ABA Indie Bestseller. Find him at www.justinareynolds.com.
Seema
Yasmin
Author of Unbecoming
About Seema
Seema Yasmin is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, medical doctor, professor and the author of five books and three forthcoming books. She is director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, clinical assistant professor in Stanford University’s Department of Medicine, and visiting professor at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA where she teaches crisis management and communications. She is a popular keynote speaker and has been invited to speak at the Vatican, White House, Aspen Ideas Festival, and Skoll World Forum.
Elisabet Velasquez
Author of When We Make it
About Elisabet
Elisabet Velasquez is a Boricua writer born in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Her work is featured in Muzzle Magazine, Winter Tangerine, Centro Voces, Latina Magazine, Longreads, We Are Mitú, Tidal, and Martín Espada’s anthology What Saves Us: Poems of Empathy and Outrage in the Age of Trump. When We Make It is her debut novel. Elisabet lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.
H.D.
Hunter
Author of Something Like Right
About H.D.
Hugh “H.D.” Hunter is a storyteller, teaching artist, and community organizer from Atlanta. He’s also the winner of several indie book awards for multicultural fiction. Hugh is committed to stories about Black kids and their many expansive worlds. He loves vegan snacks, basketball, and stories that make you cry—but make you smile afterward. Check out Hugh’s work at thesoutherndistrict.com and follow him at @hd_tsd.
Mariama Lockington
Author of Forever is Now
About Mariama
Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, author, and educator. She has been telling stories and making her own books since the second grade, when she wore shortalls and flower leggings every day to school. Mariama’s middle-grade debut, For Black Girls Like Me, earned five starred reviews and was a Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019. Her sophomore middle-grade book, In The Key of Us, is a Stonewall Honor Award book and was featured in the New York Times. Her debut young adult novel, Forever is Now, is the 2024 winner of the Schneider Family Book Award. Mariama holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University and a Masters in Fine Arts in Poetry from San Francisco State University, she calls many places home, but currently lives in Kentucky with her wife and an abundance of plants. You can find her on X @marilock and on Instagram/TikTok @forblackgirlslikeme.
Myah
Hollis
Author of Not About A Boy
About Myah
Myah Hollis is a Pennsylvanian writer living in Los Angeles. She specializes in
Sad Girl Lit, mainly due to her chronic fascination with psychology. Not
About a Boy is her debut novel.
Jerry
Craft
Author of New Kid and School Trip
About Jerry
Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.
Quartez Harris
Author of New Kid and School Trip
About Quartez
Quartez Harris, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, began his journey as an educator in the Cleveland Public City Schools, where he made a profound impact on young minds. In recognition of his remarkable talent, Harris was awarded the prestigious title of Ohio Poetry Association’s 2021 Poet of the year. As a gifted wordsmith, he has authored two influential poetry collections, “We Made It to School Alive” and “Nothing, But Skin.”
Event Schedule
Schedule
9:00-9:30 AM | Check-in & Registration
9:30 AM | Welcome
10:00 – 10:40 AM | Session One
10:45 – 11:25 AM | Session Two
11:30 – 12:15 PM | Lunch
12:30 PM | Closing Panel
1:00 PM | Book Signing | Eastman Reading Garden
SESSION 1 | 10:00-10:40 AM, CHOOSE 1
THE POWER OF VERSE
Mariama Lockington & Quartez Harris
Through the lyrical flow of poetry, Lockington and Harris tackle themes like anxiety, trauma, resilience, and social justice. Their stories highlight the strength of young people navigating personal and societal challenges, using words not only to heal but to advocate for themselves and their communities. Come experience how the rhythm of verse can inspire, empower, and spark meaningful change.
Louis Stokes Wing, 2nd Floor, Learning Commons
RISING FROM THE RUINS
Myah Hollis & H.D. Hunter, Moderated by Tamara Barkley
Join debut author Myah Hollis (Not About a Boy) and H.D. Hunter (Something Like Right) for an insightful conversation about overcoming trauma, navigating relationships, and finding personal strength. In their novels, Mel and Zay are teens facing life’s toughest challenges, from grief and depression to systemic inequality and family struggles. This panel explores how these characters rise from their lowest points, discovering resilience, self-worth, and the power of advocacy in their journeys. A must-attend for those who connect with stories of growth and survival.
Main Library, North Reading Room
SESSION 2 | 10:45 – 11:25 AM, CHOOSE 1
BREAKING BOUNDARIES
Elisabet Velasquez & Seema Yasmin, Moderated by Jacqueline Lamb
From Velasquez’s When We Make It, where a Puerto Rican teen grapples with family struggles and identity, to Yasmin’s Unbecoming, which tells the story of two Muslim teens fighting for their rights in a near-future America, this panel celebrates resilience, strength, and the power of young women to break boundaries and create change.
Louis Stokes Wing, 2nd Floor, Learning Commons
GAME CHANGERS
Justin A. Reynolds & Jerry Craft
From basketball courts to international adventures, Justin and Jerry’s stories highlight the challenges young people face and how they rise above to advocate for themselves and their futures. Don’t miss this conversation on how wellness and second chances shape the lives of the next generation of game changers.
Main Library, North Reading Room
LUNCH | 11:30 – 12:15 PM | EASTMAN READING GARDEN
CLOSING SESSION | 12:30 PM
AND THEN WE RISE
Common, Justin A. Reynolds, Kevin “MC Chill” Heard, Moderated by Erica Marks
Centered around Common’s book And Then We Rise, this panel will explore the crucial themes of health, wellness, and advocacy. Discover how personal stories, literature, and media can ignite change, empower young people, and uplift communities in the ongoing fight for justice and well-being. Don’t miss this chance to hear from some of the most influential voices of our time, sharing their journeys of resilience and transformation.
Louis Stokes Wing, Lower Level, Auditorium
SPONSORS
