What We Can Learn from the BIPOC Book Fest (Houston)

After attending the Guadalajara International Book Fair 2023, I was left wanting to expand my perspective and the voices on my shelf. I had this exact opportunity with an event hosted by the BIPOC Book Fest 2024, Asia Society Texas, and Inprint. I didn’t know what to expect from the event, since the very title could lend itself to its own analysis. The term “BIPOC” seeks to bring together different communities in solidarity but has also been criticized for divisiveness and erasure by some members of these same communities. However, according to the BIPOC Book Fest website, their mission is “to showcase books and other literary works that are representative of a mosaic of cultures – just like our city.”

I decided to keep an open mind and, well, I think the event lived up to its motto: “A lit vibe.” The vibe was both literary and party-like. My drink was named after Toni Morrison’s book The Bluest Eyes. There was a crowd of people, vendors, and authors, as well as representatives from publishers, libraries, and organizations. I didn’t want to limit myself just to the Latino booths, so I decided to explore and found myself at a talk by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and a panel on local theater. At the fair I gained new understanding and reaffirmed previous beliefs about the scope of literature, courage, and the literary life.

Literature Transcends

I was fascinated by how Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni remained cheerful with a smiling face throughout her talk despite the heavy themes of her novel, Independence, such as partition, religious divisions, and colonialism in India. I could see how much she loved sisterhood, both as she portrayed it in her novel and how she interacted with other women, including the moderator and colleagues who were present. Her talk shifted between the universal and the personal. In other words, the book is not just about the characters and India, but a universal message: we are stronger together, differences separate us.

Sympathy for causes, according to Divakaruni, is cerebral but the book is what brings them to the heart. She also gave us a great example of the living connection between books, history, and our lives, through her book Victory Song. We learned about her research process and how she enriched it with stories from her mother—who lived through the Indian independence movement—along with historical photos of colonial places that are now tourist sites. The songs she includes in Victory Song are the same ones that were banned by the British. I can’t imagine the joy Indians felt when they heard them back on the radio. Her talk was a beautiful reminder not to take our freedom for granted.

You Must be Brave

I also learned a lot from the panel about the local theater scene in Houston with Tazeen Zahida, ShaWanna Renee Rivon, and Marissa Castillo (of TEATRX). The moderator, Errol Anthony Wilks, told us that Houston has the second most theater seats per capita after New York. The panelists talked about their plays, which dealt with topics like the absence of fathers, sex toys, and racial segregation. Each sought to break barriers and taboos and even shed light on the darkest corners of society. Rivon, in particular, told us that she chooses what hasn’t been told, especially if the story stays with her for some time.

Tazeen Zahida is the founder of TeeZee Productions, the only South Asian theater company in Houston. She firmly believes that she is writing the stories of many people, especially the secrets they keep but want to be told—by someone else. For example, she has received comments like, “Sister, you have written my story.” These secrets include taboo subjects like child abuse that are silenced but should be confronted. I could hear the passion in Zahida’s voice; she did not hesitate nor waver to proclaim the need to be brave, just like she was when she reinterpreted Shakespeare with immigrant characters and incorporated Urdu poetry. Despite criticism from others, the play was well received, even by people with no knowledge of the Urdu language.

The Literary Spirit

I had asked a question during the panel. I didn’t think about it any further until a while later when the moderator recognized me and thanked me for participating. At that moment, I realized not only the importance of attending events but also how dialogue is what keeps the arts alive. Moreover, Divakaruni assured us that we are indeed living a literary life if we write, read, and love literature. It also gave me a dose of hope to hear Pritha Bhattacharyya, the moderator, say that we are in the wine business, not the milk business. That is, it only gets better with time, it doesn’t rot.

With those thoughts in my heart, I felt that the spirit of the fair did not fade as the merchandise was packed up and the booths were put away. On my ride home, I found myself engaged in another literary conversation. The driver told me that her vision board included writing about her family. I encouraged her to do so, and she told me that it was no coincidence that she ran into me.