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Past Events
Hosted at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Harlem Rhapsody Book Launch was a sold-out literary brunch welcoming more than 300 guests from around the world. Written by Victoria Christopher Murray and featuring a conversation with Abby Phillip, this was a landmark celebration of Black history, storytelling, and community.
Harlem Rhapsody
Book Launch
February 2nd, 2025
Sold Out • 300+Guests
Global Audience
Flip the Tables Book Release
March 16th, 2025
A sold-out literary conversation featuring Alencia Johnson and Joy Ann Reid filled the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library with more than 500 engaged guests. The powerful evening centered dialogue, truth-telling, and civic engagement—and followed the release of Flip the Tables, which went on to become a national bestseller, and quietly marked the beginning of what would become The JoyBuilder.
Sold Out • 500+Guests
National Bestseller
Happy Land Book Celebration
May 10th, 2025
Sold Out • 120 Guests
Intimate Literary Conversation
Hosted at Hill Prince (now Hush Harbor), the Happy Land Book Celebration was a sold-out literary evening welcoming approximately 120 guests. Written by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and featuring a rich conversation with Jacqueline Woodson, the event honored Black Southern legacy, memory, and storytelling through an intimate and powerful exchange.
Building the Bond
July 8th, 2025
Sold Out • 350+ Guests
35 Table Hosts • Global Sisterhood
Held at the Salamander Washington DC, Building the Bond was a powerful, sold-out celebration of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the global impact of Black sisterhood. Hosted by Joy Ann Reid, the evening featured 35 distinguished table hosts, including Stacey Abrams, Abby Phillip, and Erika Alexander, alongside other influential leaders and cultural figures. With more than 350 guests from around the world, this landmark gathering honored legacy, leadership, and collective power at the highest level.
A Dream Deferred
November 2nd, 2025
Sold Out • Literary Conversation
Black History Exhibition
A Dream Deferred, written by Abby Phillip, was a sold-out literary and cultural evening hosted at Fish Shop. The event featured Abby Phillip in conversation with Joy Ann Reid and expanded beyond the stage to include a curated Black history exhibition in partnership with Ben's Chili Bowl, a mini Black business expo, and rare artifacts from the 1984 presidential campaign, creating a rich, immersive experience rooted in history, culture, and civic legacy.