Tennessee Reed

Co-sponsored by Lesley University Women’s Center

Spell Albuquerque is an inspiring memoir of one woman’s struggle to overcome racism and institutional authority and to achieve what everyone said was impossible.

“I’m not like them,” Tennessee Reed would tell her teachers; couldn’t they see that the approach they used for students with “normal” brains didn’t always work for her? The daughter of writer/choreographer Carla Blank and novelist Ishmael Reed, Tennessee was diagnosed at an early age with several language-based learning disorders. The bottom line, the experts agreed, was that she would never read or write. Using great reserves of courage, a teenaged Reed fought an educational system that often defined her disabilities as laziness or stupidity and within a few years, published her first book of poetry, wrote the text for Meredith Monk performances, and traveled the world to read her poems.

Join us for what promises to be an inspiring reading and discussion about the limitations of the U.S educational system and one student who was able to overcome them.

Books will be on sale at the event. Can’t make it? Buy the book here to support CNW and women’s bookstores!

Made possible by the generous support of the Boston Women’s Fund.

Photo credit: Richard Nagler