An Evening with Desiree Cooper & Natalie Y Moore

Author Talk with Desiree Cooper: Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors

Join us for an engaging evening with Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, author, and editor Desiree Cooper as she discusses her groundbreaking new anthology, Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors, in conversation with acclaimed journalist and author Natalie Moore.

For generations, Black communities have often been excluded from mainstream narratives about nature and the outdoors. Black Summers challenges those assumptions through a powerful collection of stories, essays, and reflections that celebrate the ways Black children and families experience joy, adventure, discovery, and connection in outdoor spaces.

Through personal stories and cultural exploration, the anthology reclaims and expands our understanding of who belongs in nature while highlighting the beauty, resilience, and creativity of Black childhood.

This thought-provoking conversation will explore the inspiration behind the anthology, the importance of representation in environmental and literary spaces, and the memories and experiences that shape our relationship with the outdoors.

Event Details

📅 Thursday, June 11
⏰ 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Woodson Regional Library
9525 S. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL

About Desiree Cooper

Desiree Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, 2015 Kresge Artist Fellow, former attorney, and acclaimed author whose fiction, poetry, and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Oprah Daily, MSNBC Daily, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Rumpus, and numerous other publications. She is the editor of Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors.

About Natalie Moore

Natalie Y. Moore is an award-winning journalist, author, playwright, and senior lecturer at Northwestern University. Known for her insightful reporting on race, housing, and community issues, she will lead this special conversation with Desiree Cooper.

Books will be available for purchase from Da Book Joint, and Desiree Cooper will sign books following the discussion.

This event is perfect for readers, educators, nature lovers, parents, writers, and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of Black culture, storytelling, community, and the outdoors.

We look forward to seeing you there!