2026 Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Conference Event
with RENÉE WATSON
2026 Newbery Medalist
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
at Akwaaba Mansion, NYC
Renée Watson
We gathered at Akwaaba to celebrate the brilliant, award winning author, RENÉE WATSON (2026 Newbery Medalist, 2026 TIME Inaugural Visionary, Coretta Scott King Book Award Winner).
2026 marks Renée’s 16th publishing anniversary!
Our sweet 16 celebration included new music from composer kt madison, who debuted a new original song which shared the title from the book, ALL THE BLUES IN THE SKY. kt used Renée Watson’s brilliant and beautiful poetic landscape as a foundation for this new music.
Performers (left to right): Deborah Cowell, kt madison, Thea Matthews & Anayansi Ife Freilla Williams
ARTISTS
RENÉE WATSON
Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with over one million books sold. Her middle grade novel, All the Blues in the Sky, received the John Newbery Medal which is awarded to the author of “the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children.” Her award-winning novel, Piecing Me Together, received a Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor. Her poetry collection, Black Girl You are Atlas, received a Corretta Scott King Honor and was the winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award. Her debut novel, skin & bones, was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year.
Known for centering her poetry and fiction around the experiences of Black girls and women, Watson’s work explores themes of identity and the intersections of race, class, and gender. Her books include the Ryan Hart Series, and the critically acclaimed picture book, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water co-written with Nikole Hannah-Jones.
DEBORAH COWELL
Deborah Cowell is a product of the public school system, first grade through graduate school. She is an artist raised Brooklyn.
KT MADISON
kt madison is a Detroit born, Northern Michigan raised, Brooklyn grown, and Harlem based, composer, scholar, and educator whose work moves between music, theatre, and community practice.
kt will be debuting a new original song sharing the title from the book, "All The Blues In The Sky." It explores our relationship to complex emotions that need as much space to process as there are shades of any one color. Using Renee Watson's brilliant and beautiful poetic landscape as a foundation for this piece, and collaborating with kt's meditative folk and compelling narrative driven compositions, kt invites transcendent connection, introspective reflection, and transformative reflection.
THEA MATTHEWS
Thea Matthews is the author of GRIME (City Lights Books, 2025) and Unearth [The Flowers] (Red Light Lit Press, 2020), which was named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Poetry Books of 2020. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, ZYZZYVA, The Cortland Review, Colorado Review, The Common, Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, The Massachusetts Review, The New Republic, Alta Journal, On the Seawall, among others. Thea attained her MFA from New York University in 2022, and currently teaches at Columbia University. Originally from San Francisco, Thea lives in Brooklyn, New York.
ANAYANSI IFE FREILLA WILLIAMS
Anayansi Ife Freilla Williams, a 13-year-old bilingual actress and aspiring singer based in New York City. A student at the Professional Performing Arts School, she has appeared in productions with The Public Theater, Manhattan Youth, Open Hydrant Theatre Company, and Boundless Theatre Company. Passionate about storytelling, musical theater, and comedy, Anayansi brings strong stage presence, creativity, and dedication to every role. She enjoys character development, improvisation, and continuing to grow as a young performer.
