The next gathering of the **FTBE Da Luv James Black Book Club** is an intimate and powerful exploration of identity, belonging, gender expression, and the journey of becoming. This session invites readers, listeners, and community members to reflect on how we define ourselves — and how society attempts to define us — especially within Black, diasporic, and queer experiences.
This meetup is intentionally accessible and intergenerational. Whether you’re a seasoned reader, a commuter who prefers audiobooks, a young adult finding your voice, or someone stepping into book club space for the first time, this session is designed to be welcoming, reflective, and grounded in lived experience rather than academic theory.
**In Selection from past meet up....**

### **Print Selection as of Jan 11th**

**Junie – by Chelene Knight (Local writer)**
A beautifully written, emotionally grounded Canadian novel that follows the Vancouver life ( from 1915, 20's and 30's) of a young Black girl navigating silence, displacement, and the longing to belong. Accessible yet deeply layered, *Junie* invites us to consider childhood memory, invisibility, and resilience.

### **Audio Selection as of Jan 11th**

**The Message – by Ta-Nehisi Coates**
Ideal for commuters and listeners, this powerful audio experience explores voice, narrative power, and the responsibility of storytelling in shaping identity and truth.

***

### **Newest Selections as of Feb 8th**

**Print:**
**Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens – by Tanya Boteju (Local writer)**
A vibrant coming-of-age story centered on a queer South Asian teen discovering drag culture, chosen family, and self-acceptance.
**Audio / Optional:**
**The Rainbow Ain’t Never Been Enuf – by Kaila Adia**
A poetic meditation on Black queer identity, spirituality, and the expansiveness of selfhood.

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# Why These Books

These works are part of this years local writers that speak to one another across geography, genre, and generation. Together they:

* Explore gender fluidity, queerness, and coming-of-age
* Invite reflection on what it means to feel “in-between”
* Create space for first-time book club members and younger readers
* Open conversations about identity without relying on heavy theory
* Highlight Black and diasporic storytelling as acts of liberation

This is about storytelling as survival. Storytelling as reclamation. Storytelling as home.

**The Spirit of This Gathering**
This session continues the legacy of Da Luv James — centering words, interpretation, and the healing power of storytelling within Black communities. As FTBE grows its literary arm, this book club remains a space where culture, mental wellness, and liberation intersect.
**Come ready to listen.**
**Come ready to speak.**
**Come ready to witness each other becoming.**

Vancouver Black Book Club Meetup Group

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Becoming Ourselves: Black Belonging, Queer Identity & the Courage to Be Seen

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