We Speak Events
Literary Artists speak on #HipHopinBooks at the Atlanta’s A3C Hip Hop Festival
When it comes to Hip Hop and fiction, many often forget the origin and how it impacts our communities. From the likes of a Donald Goines, to Teri Woods, and Ashley and JaQuavis Coleman, our stories have been widespread for decades, impacting millions. This year, the A3C Festival and Conference joined forces with the AAMBC Awards and its origination to produce the Hip Hop in Books panel.
Moderated by Legendary LaQ’uita, the panel featured literary artists such as JaQuavis Coleman and Wahida Clark, who both have dominated the New York Times best sellers list to new age authors, Myss Shan and Booker T. Mattison. The panel also featured AAMBC Awards creator, Tamika Newhouse, who launched the AAMBC platform to advocate for literacy ten years ago.
The panelists spoke on the importance of storytelling and how literary artists contribute to the growth of Hip Hop. When it comes to those types of books, you often think of musical talents and perhaps the songwriter and producers, but the talent, often forgotten about are those who pen novels. With an ever-changing industry, it was much-needed to hear from these talents, and the best part was getting signed books during the wrap-up session.
The AAMBC Literary Awards is a platform that celebrates black books and black writers in a star-studded ceremony each summer. Their partnering with A3C only encourages the mission that we read and that we create! They made reading seem fun, powerfully, and the fact that we can create our stories for millions to read is pretty dope to me.
Check out some images from the Hip Hop in Books panel.
We Speak Events
Dr. Jamal H. Bryant and The JHB Movement to Host Strategic Town Hall Revealing the Next Phase of the TargetFast Movement
As national momentum continues to build around the TargetFast movement, Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and founder of The JHB Movement, will host a high-impact, invite-only TargetFast Town Hall on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM EST in Stonecrest, Georgia.
This private strategic gathering marks the conclusion of the first 40 days of TargetFast.org — a bold initiative launched on March 3, 2025, calling for a community-wide economic divestment from Target in response to its quiet rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As a critical moment for reflection, recalibration, and media engagement, the town hall will unveil the movement’s next phase and reaffirm its call for corporate accountability. Special guests that will be speaking at the event include:
Dr. Jamal H. Bryant – Senior Pastor & Movement Leader
Dr. Karri Bryant – Educator & Cultural Strategist
Dr. Rashad Richey – Political Analyst & Commentator
Tamika Mallory – Renowned Civil Rights Activist
Dr. David John – Economic Advisor & Policy Strategist
Tezlyn Figaro – Policy ConsultantNina Turner – Political Economist
In just over a month, TargetFast has sparked a measurable shift in corporate accountability. Since the launch of the boycott, Target has experienced 10 consecutive weeks of declining foot traffic and a sharp drop in stock value — from $104 on March 13 to $92 on April 13, resulting in an estimated $12.4 billion loss in market value (source: Reddit and public market data).
But beyond the numbers, the movement speaks directly to the economic vulnerability of Black-owned brands that once thrived under Target’s DEI efforts, including:
Mielle Organics
Tabitha Brown’s Home & Kitchen Collection
The Doux Haircare Products
Black Girl Sunscreen
“This is not just a protest—it’s a prophetic move toward permanent change,” said Dr. Bryant. “TargetFast is a demand, not a plea. If corporations choose to walk back their promises to our community, we will meet them with economic consequence.”
Attendees can expect a powerful review of the first 40 days of the TargetFast movement, along with exclusive insights from key voices leading the charge. The town hall will offer strategic vision casting and a clear roadmap for the next phase of the movement’s expansion. Participants will also gain access to new resources, including a comprehensive Black Business Directory and a 30-Day Devotional Guide designed to support both faith and financial discipline. With a major media presence on-site, the event is positioned to amplify the movement’s message and national impact.
JHB Movement and the Path Forward
This initiative is being led by the Jamal Harrison Bryant (JHB) Movement, a faith-driven social justice organization committed to economic empowerment, community activism, and racial equity. To support those participating in the FAST, Dr. Bryant is providing registrants with a Black Business Directory and a 30-Day Devotional Guide, offering alternative shopping options and spiritual encouragement throughout the boycott. Supporters can sign up at Targetfast.org to receive the Black Business Directory and 30-Day Devotional, as well as track updates on the FAST’s impact. The JHB Movement will also release a report at the end of the 40-day period to quantify the economic effect of this demonstration.
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