Author discusses her Indiana roots on three-city tour April 12-14
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards will kick off a multi-city book tour with Indiana native and New York Times best-selling author Ashley C. Ford in April. The writer, host, educator and social media star will be in conversation with local moderators in three cities about her experiences as an Indiana writer. The tour stops are New Albany on April 12, Indianapolis on April 13 and Fort Wayne on April 14.
A native of Fort Wayne, Ashley C. Ford’s New York Times best-selling debut memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, was published by Flatiron Books in June 2021. Telling the story of her relationship with her incarcerated father, the book explores themes of childhood, family, race, body image, education and home.
Ford is the former host of The Chronicles of Now podcast and co-host of the HBO companion podcast Lovecraft Country Radio. Ford is a graduate of Ball State University and spent the last several years in New York City, moving “back home again” to Indiana in 2020. She has written or guest-edited for ELLE Magazine, BuzzFeed, OUT Magazine, Mailchimp Presents, Slate, Teen Vogue, New York Magazine, Allure, Marie Claire, The New York Times, The Guardian, Netflix Queue, Domino, Cup of Jo and various other web and print publications.
“I’m a born and bred Hoosier. My opinions, my political affiliations, my art and all of that comes from what made me here,” Ford said. “I’m going to force this place to claim me.”
“I want people here, especially young Black people, to know what’s possible for their lives. I want to be from here. I want to make things from here. I want my friends from the coasts to come here and see what I see up close. I don’t want them to be ignorant about what the Midwest is, what it looks like and who lives here. That’s how we get better stories. I want better stories for the Midwest and Indiana specifically.”
Ford will be joined in conversation by poet Mitchell L.H. Douglas at the Floyd County Library in New Albany, writer Tamara Winfrey-Harris at Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis and Northeast Indiana Public Radio’s Terra Brantley at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne.
The Indiana Authors Awards Tour is a statewide speaking tour, featuring a prominent Hoosier author in conversation with local writers and thought leaders. With the goals of both highlighting Indiana’s national literary status and inspiring more residents to take up the pen and write, the Indiana Authors Awards Tour brings prominent writers to communities around the state. Ashley C. Ford will be the inaugural featured speaker of the Indiana Authors Awards Tour. All events are free. However, seating is limited, and registration is required.
This tour is generously funded by Glick Philanthropies and held in partnership with the Allen County Public Library, the Floyd County Library and Indianapolis Public Schools.
Details are as follows:
What: Homecoming: An Indiana Authors Awards Tour Featuring Ashley C. Ford
When:
April 12, 2022
The Floyd County Library
180 West Spring Street
New Albany, IN 47150
Moderator: Mitchell Douglas
Begins at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. (Central)
April 13, 2022
Arsenal Tech High School
1500 Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Moderator: Tamara Winfrey-Harris
Begins at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. (Eastern)
April 14, 2022
Allen County Public Library
900 Library Plaza
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Moderator: Terra Brantley
Begins at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. (Eastern)