Past Events
2026:
Bay Area Book Festival: In Search of Middle Grade Mystery panel discussion, featuring DEEP SECRETS, with Tracy Badua and Shafaq Khan, Moderated by Sarah Sugarman (Berkeley, CA) 5/30/26
Tafoya Elementary School: Author Visit, Reading Group Discussion and Q&A (Woodland, CA) 5/22/26
Kindling Words West: Writing Retreat, Morning Inspiration Presentation, "Letting Your Curiosity Guide You" (Whidbey Island, WA) 5/11-5/18
Children's Defense Fund: Harambe: A Black Children's Literature Gathering at the Alex Haley Farm, Dinner Keynote (Clinton, TN) 4/23-4/26/26
SCBWI-CA: North Central: Spring Spirit Conference, Panel Discussion: Agent/Editor Relationships (Elk Grove, CA) 4/18/26
Boyds Mills: Four-Part Virtual Writing Workshop, Diving Deeper Into Picture Books (Milanville, PA) 3/19-4/9/26
Korematsu Elementary School: Read Across America guest reader (Davis, CA) 3/6/26
Eisenberg Elementary School: Nevada Reading Week, Virtual School Visit (Las Vegas, NV) 3/2/26
Black Garnet Books: Discussion, Reading, and Signing featuring PRINCE: A Little Golden Book Biography (St. Paul, MN) 2/27/26
Ramsey County Library, Roseville: Fri-Yay at the Library, Prince-themed story time, dance party, and presentation, featuring Nikki, illustrator Don Tate, and PRINCE: A Little Golden Book Biography (Roseville, MN) 2/27/26
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI): Tuesday With a Scholar: Virtual Presentation about Nikki's writing journey, featuring PRINCE: A Little Golden Book Biography (University of MN/Ramsey County Libraries) 2/24/26
Quinton Elementary School: Virtual School Visit, featuring Charlotte Spies for Justice (Quinton, VA) 2/17/26
Underground Books: Let's Read Oak Park Black History Month Storytime, featuring PRINCE: A LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK BIOGRAPHY and LOVE IS ALL AROUND, with music, dancing, and activity (Elk Grove, CA) 2/14/26
Korematsu Elementary School, DJUSD: Solidarity: A Black History Month Celebration (Davis, CA) 2/4/26
Woodland Public Library: Writing Workshop for teens and adults (Woodland, CA) 1/13/26
Highlights Foundation: Four-Part Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, January 2026
Avid Reader Davis: Purple Party Book Launch with Illustrator, Don Tate, featuring PRINCE: A LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK BIOGRAPHY, Book Discussion, Drawing Demo, Dancing, and Signing (Davis, CA) 1/6/26
2025
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference: The Black Roundtable Discussion with The Brown Bookshelf; Panel Presentation: Dreaming the Wild Outdoors: Stories of Adventure in the Natural World as Inspiration for Readers and Writers, with Nikki Grimes, Erin Soderberg Downing, Kate Messner, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ann Braden, and moderator Melissa Guerrette. Signing STRANDED at the Scholastic Booth (Denver, CO) 11/21-11/23/25
Underground Books: Oak Park Reads, Reading, Discussing, and Signing STRANDED (Sacramento, CA) 11/8/25
Woodward Academy: Virtual Book Club Visit, discussing STRANDED, as part of the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (College Park, GA) 10/29/25
Highlights Foundation: Four-Part Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, October 2025
Bigfoot Kids' Book Festival: Hosted by Brick & Mortar Books (Redmond, WA) 10/11/25
A Seat at the Table Books: Writing Demystified, in conversation, discussing all things writing and publishing, signing (Elk Grove, CA) 10/4/25
Chautauqua Institution: Book-in-a-Day Writing and Publishing Workshop for Children, Ages 9-12, Co-Teacher with Kwame Alexander and Ann Marie Stephens (Chautauqua, NY) 7/19-7/25/25
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, May-July, 2025
University of California, Berkeley: Guest Lecturer for Children's Literature in the Context of American Cultures course, (Berkeley, CA) 4/24/25
Korematsu Elementary School, DJUSD: Battle of the Books, Featuring STRANDED; Guest MC, (Davis, CA) 4/10/25
Yolo County Library (Mary L. Stephens Branch): In Conversation: Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations, (Davis, CA) 3/22/25
Korematsu Elementary School, DJUSD: Scholastic Book Fair Family Night, (Davis, CA) 3/17/25
Patwin Elementary School, DJUSD: Patwin Students Community Interview, (Davis, CA) 2/27/25
Basis Independent School: School Visit Assembly, 6th-11th Grades, (Fremont, CA) 2/26/25
Highlights Foundation: Four-Part Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, February 2025
A Seat at the Table Books: Black Girl Glow Black History Month Event: reading, discussion, signing, and activity (Elk Grove, CA) 2/22/25
Korematsu Elementary School: Black History Month Assembly (Davis, CA) 2/12/25
World Read Aloud Day (WRAD): Seven National Virtual Visits, 2/5/25
California School Library Association (CSLA): Annual Conference, Panelist (San Jose, CA) 2/1/25
2024
Black Creatives Children's Book Fair, Boston Public Library (Roxbury Branch): Meet and greet and signing (Roxbury, MA) 11/23/24
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference: The Black Roundtable Discussion with The Brown Bookshelf; Panel Presentation: Using Stories to Find Hope in a Climate-Changed World (with Elizabeth Blye, Ann Braden, Sayantani DasGupta, and Anne Nesbit); Signing STRANDED at the Scholastic Booth (Boston, MA) 11/21-11/23/24
Yolo County Library (Mary L. Stephens Branch): Reading and discussing STRANDED in conversation with local students (Davis, CA) 11/9/24
Rochester Children's Book Festival (Monroe Community College): Reading, presenting and discussing STRANDED, and signing (Rochester, NY) 11/2/24
Children's Fairyland Halloween Bash: Presenting, reading, and signing HALLOWEEN FRIENDS (Oakland, CA) 10/27/24
Las Vegas Book Festival and Local School Visits (Abston Elementary, Berkley Elementary, Earl Elementary, and Mathis Elementary): Historical Fiction Panel, featuring LENA AND THE BURING OF GREENWOOD; Reading and discussing STRANDED; Book Club For Kids Live Podcast with Kitty Felde and student panelists, discussing STRANDED (Las Vegas, NV) 10/18-10/21/24
Powell's Books (Cedar Hills Crossing Location): Discussing STRANDED, in conversation with Sonja Thomas (Beaverton, OR) 9/28/24
Brick and Mortar Books: Reading and signing STRANDED and HALLOWEEN FRIENDS (Redmond, WA) 9/23/24
Children's Fairyland Children's Book Festival: Signing, meet and greet, and children's activities (Oakland, CA) 9/21/24
The Highlights Foundation Instagram Live: STRANDED Book Launch, @highlightsfound, 9/17/24
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Annual Summer Virtual Conference: Breakout Session: School's In: Writing for the Educational Market, 8/3/24
Story Time at Avid & Co.: Reading, singing, activities, and signing Our Beautiful Colors and books from the Brown Baby Parade board book series (Davis, CA) 7/17/24
American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference: Signing LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD: A TULSA RACE MASSACRE SURVIVAL STORY (San Diego, CA) 6/28/24
Yolo Juneteenth Celebration: Appearance/Signing (University of California, Davis) 6/2/24
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, April-June, 2024
Bay Area Book Festival Family Day (Berkeley Public Library): Stories for the Littlest Readers, Multi-Author Story Time, Reading and Signing Love Is All Around (Brown Baby Parade), (Berkeley, CA) 5/4/24
Carl H. Sundahl Elementary School: School Visit featuring Our Beautiful Colors, the Azaleah Lane Series, and the Girls Survive Series (Folsom, CA) 3/11/24
Virtual Book Club Author Chat: Black Girl Joy Book Club: Featuring The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane 2/25/24
Sierra Writer's Conference: Writing Workshop: Letting Your Inner Child Guide Your Writing (Rocklin, CA) 2/7/24
Ramsey County Kindergarten Library Card Program: Featuring The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane, presenting, reading, and signing (Maplewood, MN) 1/27/24
2023
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference: The Black Roundtable Discussion with The Brown Bookshelf; Panel Presentation: Using Books to Connect Young Black Children to the Self, the Family, and the Community (with Valerie Bolling and JaNay Brown-Wood) (Columbus, OH) 11/16-11/19/23
Oklahoma Teen Book Convention, Panelist: Featuring LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD, young reader roundtables, book signing (Tulsa, OK) 10/29/23
Avid Reader Davis: Featuring the Brown Baby Parade Series New Releases, Halloween Friends and Countdown to Christmas; Reading, Signing, and Activities (Davis, CA) 10/22/23
Cape Cod Cultural Center, Publishing Panel (Part of the Memoir Writing Workshop with Kwame Alexander) with Bonnie LaMon and Sarah Grace McCandless (South Yarmouth, MA) 10/9/23
Eddy Elementary and Stony Brook Elementary Schools: School Visits featuring Azaleah Lane and Girls Survive Titles (Brewster, MA) 10/5/23
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Mining Emotions and Experiences to Create Fiction" 9/30/23
Bigfoot Kids' Book Festival: Hosted by Brick & Mortar Books (Redmond, WA) 9/9/23
APPLE CORE Literacy Incentive Event: Keynote Address Las Vegas and Henderson Schools, (Las Vegas, NV) 9/6-9/7/23
Madelyn Helling County Library: Find Your Voice Youth Summer Learning Program, Presenting/Signing, (Nevada City, CA) 7/26/23
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, June-August, 2023
Yolo County Juneteenth Celebration: Appearance/Signing (University of California, Davis) 6/4/23
Patwin Elementary School Book Fair Fund Raiser: Appearance/Signing (Avid Reader, Davis, CA) 5/23/23
Oklahoma Book Awards Celebration: Hosted by the Oklahoma Center for the Book and the Friends of the Oklahoma Center for the Book (Oklahoma City, OK) 4/22/23 - AWARD RECIPIENT
Union Hill School: Author Visit (Grass Valley, CA) 3/30/23
SCBWI-CA: San Diego: Virtual Workshop with Editor, Andrea Posner-Sanchez, Writing Little Golden Books, 3/18/23
California School Library Association (CSLA) Conference: Author Panel (Pacific Grove, CA) 3/4/23
Mary L. Stephens Library: Black History Month Family Event: Speaking, Signing and Activities (Davis, CA) 2/25/23
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "A Peek at Publishing" 2/25/23
Gibson Elementary School: Author Visit and Family Night (Woodland, CA) 2/16/23
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Revision Techniques: Game On!" 2/4/23
Pleasant Pheasant Bookstore: Signing and Storytime (Woodland, CA) 1/22/23
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, 1/14/23 and 1/21/23
2022
SCBWI-CA: San Francisco/South Golden Gate Conference, Asilomar Conference Grounds, CA 9/16-9/18/22
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: Fearlessness: Mining Emotions and Experiences to Create Fiction 9/10/22
SCBWI-MD/DE/WV: Virtual Workshop: Steering Your Picture Book in the Right Direction, 7/16/22
Highlights Foundation: Workshop Faculty, Summer Camp in Fiction (Milanville, PA), 7/6-7/10/22
East Village Bookshop: Signing and Conversation (Sacramento, CA), 6/11/22
Creekview Ranch School: Author Visit (Roseville, CA), 2/2/22
World Read Aloud Day: Virtual Visits, 2/2/22
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Revision Techniques: Game On!" 1/29/22
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, 1/15/22 and 1/22/22
2021
Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Filling the Writer's Toolbox with Emma Dryden (Small Group Facilitator), 10/17-10/22/21
Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program, in conjunction with the Bay Area Book Festival (Virtual)
2/6/21, 10/2/21, 10/23/21 (Instructor: Revision Strategies Masterclass, Story Structure in Fiction Masterclass, Fearless Writers and Their Characters Masterclass)
SCBWI: MD/DE/WV, Virtual Writing Workshop: Uncharted Territory: Finding What You Didn't Know You Were Looking For (Research Strategies), 9/25/21
(Older Events List Available Upon Request)