91ÖØ¿Ú

6TH ANNUAL

2026 91ÖØ¿Ú LITERARY

ARTS FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, MAY 2ND

Mertes Center for the Arts, Bldg. 4000

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

 

FEATURED AUTHORS 

 

	Leila Mottley Leila Mottley is the author of the novel Nightcrawling, an Oprah’s Book Club pick and New York Times best seller, and the poetry collection woke up no light. Her sophomore novel, The Girls Who Grew Big, came out in June 2025. She was also the 2018 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate. She was born and raised in Oakland, where she continues to live.
	W. Kamau Bell W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian, director, producer, and dad. For seven seasons, he was the host and executive producer of the five-time Emmy Award-winning CNN docuseries United Shades of America. Kamau won a Peabody Award for his Showtime docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby. He is also the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Do The Work: An Antiracist Activity Book. His first book was his memoir with the easy-to-remember title: The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. Recently Kamau directed and produced the HBO documentary 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed. As a stand-up comic, Kamau has recorded two comedy specials. The second one, Private School Negro, is available on Netflix. Kamau is on the board of directors of DonorsChoose - a non-profit that helps teachers raise money for class projects, and Live Free - a non-profit dedicated to ending gun violence, mass incarceration, and mass criminalization. Kamau also is the ACLU’s Celebrity Ambassador for Racial Justice. He lives in Oakland, California. He cares a lot… maybe too much.
	Kate Schatz Kate Schatz is a feminist author, educator, and public speaker. She's the New York Times-bestselling author of the "Rad Women" book series; the novel Where the Girls Were; the 33 â…“ book Rid of Me: A Story; and Do the Work: An Anti-Racist Activity Book, co-written with W. Kamau Bell. She lives in the Bay Area with her wife, three children, and pets. In all she does, Kate is committed to sharing radical histories that shine light on the marginalized people who've truly made America (and the world) great: the people of color, the immigrants, the queers, the punks, the weirdos, the artists, the workers, and the women.
	Julissa Arce Julissa Arce is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, producer, and public thinker whose writing interrogates the myths of the American Dream and the cost of assimilation. Her acclaimed books, including My (Underground) American Dream, Someone Like Me, and You Sound Like a White Girl, blend memoir, social critique, and cultural analysis to reframe conversations around immigration, identity, and what it means to truly belong. Her work has made her a leading voice in the national dialogue on race, belonging, and the power of reclaiming one's roots.  She's a trusted voice on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and other outlets. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, CNBC, Vogue, and BuzzFeed News. Julissa's storytelling and advocacy have earned her recognition as one of People en Español's 25 Most Powerful Women of 2017 and 2022, and she was honored as the 2019 Woman of the Year by the City of Los Angeles.
	Tomas Moniz Tomas Moniz is a latinx writer living in East Oakland, CA. His debut novel, Big Familia, was a finalist for the 2020 PEN/ Hemingway and the LAMBDA. His second novel, All Friends Are Necessary, won the 2024 California Golden Poppy Award. His new novel, The King of Aloe Vera, will be published on September 29th, 2026 from Algonquin Books. He edited the popular Rad Dad and Rad Families anthologies, and he teaches at Berkeley City College, the Antioch MFA, and St Mary's College USF.
	Bita Behzadi Bita Behzadi writes fantasy novels of all kinds, though she's always sure to include a little sadness in a comedy and a little humor in a tragedy. She possesses a conditionally useful engineering degree from The University of California, Berkeley, and a love of analytically sampling sweet treats.

Publication and Awards Ceremony
Havik: The 91ÖØ¿Ú Journal of Arts & Literature

 

Havik, the 91ÖØ¿Ú Journal of Arts & Literature, celebrates the release of its 2026 edition with live readings and presentations by contributors, as well as awards in the categories of poetry, prose, visual art & photography, experimental work, and academic nonfiction. The in-person ceremony is open to all and will be streamed live online. For more information, visit .

Theater for Kids: Aesop's Funky Fables

 

PURCHASE TICKETS

May 2nd, 10am and 12pm in the Black Box Theater.  

Written & Directed by Dyan McBride.  Fun For Kids! Ages 4 - 12

Bickering scientists.  A time traveling device.  A miscalculation.  Ancient Greece.  Fabulous stories. Rock and roll music.  How does it all work together? Come see Aesop's Funky Fables, a play about cooperation and collaboration, specifically written for young audiences. 

 

Thank you to Our Sponsors 

• THE CITY OF LIVERMORE
• THE LIVERMORE COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS
• THE LAS POSITAS COLLEGE PRESIDENT'S SPEAKERS SERIES
• DR. DYRELL FOSTER, 91ÖØ¿Ú PRESIDENT
• THE LAS POSITAS COLLEGE FOUNDATION