Join Black Women Connect for our September Book Club as we come together to discuss Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas by Gloria Blizzard.
This month, we turn to a rich and reflective collection that explores identity, culture, migration, family, and the everyday dilemmas that shape who we are.
We continue our in-person gatherings, with a hybrid option available for those joining online. Join us in downtown Toronto at King and Peter Street for an evening of thoughtful conversation, connection, and community.
About the Book
Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas A diasporic collection of essays on music, memory, and motion. In this powerful and deeply personal essay collection, by Gloria Blizzard, in an international diasporic quest, moves up and down an urban subway line; between Canada and Trinidad; to and from a hospital emergency room; back and forth in time — and as a descendent of Africa living in the Americas, negotiates the complexities of culture, geography, race, and language. Through food, music, dance, and family history, Blizzard explores the art of belonging — to a family, a neighbourhood, a group, or a country. Using traditional narrative and the tools of poetry, Blizzard’s essays hover at the crossroads, in the spaces where art, science, and spirit collide. The intimate becomes universal, the questions are all relevant, and the answers of our times require a sleight of hand — the holding of simultaneous and overlapping worlds.
What to Expect
During our discussion, we will explore:
Themes of diaspora, migration, and cultural identity
The role of family, tradition, and generational expectations
Food as memory, connection, and cultural expression
The tension between belonging and independence
Everyday dilemmas that shape identity and life choices
How storytelling captures lived experience across cultures
Why You Should Join
The Black Women Connect Book Club is a welcoming community designed for thoughtful dialogue, shared learning, and collective reflection. This month’s book offers an opportunity to reflect on identity, heritage, migration, and the ways our backgrounds shape how we move through the world.
How to Participate
• Read the Book: Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas by Gloria Blizzard
• RSVP: Register to receive the event details and Zoom link if joining online
• Join the Conversation: Bring your insights, reflections, questions, and honest reactions
Who Should Join?
Anyone who identifies as a Black woman is welcome, whether you have been with us for years or this will be your very first meeting.
If you enjoy reflective storytelling, diaspora narratives, and books that explore culture, identity, and family dynamics, this discussion is for you.
Come ready to talk, listen, reflect, and reconnect. We look forward to seeing you in the room.
How to Prepare
📖 Read the Book: Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas by Gloria Blizzard
💭 Reflect: Think about the stories, themes, and moments that resonated with you
☕ Get Comfortable: Bring your favourite drink and settle in for a rich discussion
What You’ll Receive
✅ Zoom link to join the discussion or in-person address
✅ A discussion guide with thoughtful prompts
✅ Access to our private Facebook group for continued conversation
✅ Connection with a community of Black women who love books and dialogue
About Black Women Connect Book Club
The Black Women Connect Book Club is a monthly gathering that brings Black women together through fiction and nonfiction by writers of African descent. We read, reflect, connect, and build community through the power of storytelling. It’s more than a book club. It’s connection, conversation, and sisterhood.
Bookings
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