In-Person Event | February 21, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. PST

OFFICIAL EVENT: 2026 AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AN EVENING WITH AUTHORS
Featuring Authors Denise Nicholas, Actress-Author, and Antwone Fisher, Author-Founder, Glenview Press With Gil Robertson, Moderator, President and Co-founder, African American Critics Association.

All are invited to attend an Evening with African American Authors: an intimate and inspiring literary and cultural gathering celebrating the power of Black storytelling across generations and mediums. In partnership with the African American Critics Association (AACA), this year’s evening spotlights the written works of Antwone Fisher (Finding Fish and Reflections Underneath the Buckeye Tree); and Denise Nicholas (Fresh Water Road and Finding Home), —two voices whose stories continue to shape conversations around identity, healing, artistry, and legacy. This special evening invites readers, thinkers, and culture-shapers into meaningful dialogue that bridges literature, film, and lived experience, honoring Black history not as a moment, but as a continuum. This exciting conversation will be led by the president and co-founder of AACA, Mr. Gil Robertson.

Attendees can expect an intimate and enriching evening that blends history, culture, and storytelling. The program will feature illuminating insights from OASC highlighting Black Santa Monica history, a sampling of cultural cuisine, and an opportunity for book signings with the featured authors. Through compelling conversations, guests will experience the powerful journeys of two authors whose divergent paths—spanning literature, film, activism, and personal transformation—converge in a shared legacy of resilience, creativity, and Black storytelling across generations.

This program is designed to benefit mature teens, young adults, and adults, offering meaningful perspectives for audiences interested in literature, history, the arts, and lived experiences that inspire reflection, dialogue, and intergenerational connection.