Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
oin Akwaeke Emezi for the launch of their latest novel, Bitter, which explores the stakes of social revolution and how youth lead the way. The companion novel to Pet—a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature—Bitter follows a young artist torn between staying within the walls of her studio or protesting in the streets against the deep injustices that grip her hometown of Lucille.
The program begins with a reading from Bitter, followed by a conversation with Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin, about Emezi’s writing process and their wide-ranging career as an author and video artist. Emezi’s other novels include The New York Times bestseller The Death of Vivek Oji (2020) and Freshwater (2018), which was shortlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award.
Thumbnail: Akwaeke Emezi reads from their latest novel, Bitter, followed by a conversation with Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin, about Emezi’s writing process and their wide-ranging career as an author and video artist. Part of the Brooklyn Reads series of programs. 02/17/2022. Brooklyn Museum. (Photo: Kolin Mendez Photography)
oin Akwaeke Emezi for the launch of their latest novel, Bitter, which explores the stakes of social revolution and how youth lead the way. The companion novel to Pet—a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature—Bitter follows a young artist torn between staying within the walls of her studio or protesting in the streets against the deep injustices that grip her hometown of Lucille.
The program begins with a reading from Bitter, followed by a conversation with Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin, about Emezi’s writing process and their wide-ranging career as an author and video artist. Emezi’s other novels include The New York Times bestseller The Death of Vivek Oji (2020) and Freshwater (2018), which was shortlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award.
Thumbnail: Akwaeke Emezi reads from their latest novel, Bitter, followed by a conversation with Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin, about Emezi’s writing process and their wide-ranging career as an author and video artist. Part of the Brooklyn Reads series of programs. 02/17/2022. Brooklyn Museum. (Photo: Kolin Mendez Photography)





![Give Me a Minute with Nico Williams | Part 2 of 2
What are those cone-like objects hanging from the stairs and retaining wall in front of the Museum?
Well, they’re called jingles. Originally, small jingles were made from tobacco tins and adorned dresses worn during healing practices.
In this [bonus] episode of Give Me a Minute with Nico Williams (@odehmin), he shares the story behind the kaleidoscopic versions, which embossed with a pattern from an Anishinaabe sugar mold in the Museum’s collection (also on view in the galleries through August 18).
Give Me a Minute is a series of conversations with artists, collaborators, staff, and other people integral to the exhibitions and programming offered at the Brooklyn Museum.
Learn more about the exhibition: https://bit.ly/4aDwWpk
Watch more episodes of Give Me a Minute: https://bit.ly/3QNmcO8 Give Me a Minute with Nico Williams | Part 2 of 2](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kGb9ASVoyPg/mqdefault.jpg)




