Welcome To BRAE 2025

Dear Authors and Readers,

Welcome to BRAE 2025!

Whether this is your first year joining us or you’ve been part of this journey since the beginning, I want you to know how truly grateful I am that you’re here. Each year, BRAE continues to grow because of you—your passion, your words, your support, and your belief in the power of stories written by Black authors.

I’ll be honest—this year was uncertain for me. Between my husband’s health and life’s unexpected turns, I wasn’t sure what would happen with this year’s celebration. The planning, promoting, and marketing didn’t unfold as I envisioned, and there were moments I wondered if BRAE 2025 would even come together.

But God had other plans.
Because of your faith, your commitment, and this incredible community, BRAE 2025 is already a success. You showed up. You believed. You reminded me that this movement is bigger than one person: it’s a collective celebration of creativity, resilience, and love for the written word.

Thank you for trusting me, for trusting this community, and for continuing to pour into a space built to honor Black authors and readers. Let’s make this year another unforgettable chapter in the story of BRAE.

With love and gratitude,
A.A. Lewis
Creator of the Black Readers Appreciation Event (BRAE)