April Ryan Discusses & Signs Notes On A Blacklash w/ Sara Sidner

MahoganyBooks in partnership with the DC Public Library are excited to host award-winning author, trailblazer and former White House Correspondent April Ryan, as we celebrate her latest book, Notes on a Blacklash. Joining April in conversation will be CNN Anchor & Senior National Correspondent Sara Sidner.

In this amazing follow up to her previous book, Black Women Will Save The World, Notes on a Blacklash is a gripping, soul-baring, and deeply personal examination of online misogynoir—specific and relentless online bullying attacks based solely on race and gender, AND the resilience and courage in the fight to reclaim your story when millions are watching.

A big thank you to our partners and co-hosts at the DC Public Library and the DC Public Library Foundation for your generous support of this event.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Notes on a Blacklash

The veteran White House correspondent follows up Black Women Will Save the World with a gripping, soul-baring, and deeply personal examination of online misogynoir—specific and relentless online bullying attacks based solely on race and gender.

Notes on a Blacklash is veteran White House reporter April Ryan’s gripping, soul-baring look at what happens when the world suddenly turns its full attention on you. This isn’t just the story of one viral moment with President Trump. It’s about the avalanche that follows: the scrutiny, the emotional and physical toll, and the way your identity can become fuel for headlines and hashtags.

April pulls back the curtain on what it truly costs to be seen and what it takes to survive it. With vulnerability and power, she recounts the moments that made her go viral, not because she chased attention, but because she showed up authentically. Her presence, her truth, and her refusal to shrink under pressure struck a chord and sparked cultural firestorms.

From a high-stakes press room showdown to the history-making decision by Vice President Kamala Harris, from the public disrespect of Stevie Wonder to the slap heard around the world, April explores how race, gender, and power collide in a world addicted to outrage and instant opinions.

At its core, this book explores visibility—its price, its power, and the fight to reclaim your story when millions are watching. What does it mean to go viral when your hair is politicized, your voice is policed, and your very existence is treated as a threat? Sometimes, this is what it feels like when the spotlight finds you: uninvited, unrelenting, and impossible to ignore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: April Ryan is a renowned journalist, author, and political analyst. She hosts The Tea with April on Substack and has authored Black Women Will Save the World and Under Fire. Based in the surrounding Baltimore area, Ryan continues to amplify critical conversations on race, gender, and politics.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Sara Sidner is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist and the co-anchor of CNN News Central, broadcasting live weekdays from 7 to 10 a.m. ET. Sara has spent her career on the front lines of the world’s most pivotal stories—living, reporting, and bearing witness from nearly two dozen countries. Now based in New York, she first rose to national prominence through her field coverage—none more powerful than her coverage of the murder of George Floyd and the trial of the officer convicted in his killing.

Event guidelines are subject to change

6:30 PM - Doors Open | 7 PM Conversation Begins | 9 PM Event ends

• Face masks optional throughout event.
• Photographs may be taken during the event WITHOUT FLASH.
• For reasonable accommodations, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc.gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation, please allow at least seven (7) days notice.

• Please tag us and use #mahoganybooks, #blackbooksmatter, and #notesonablacklash on social media.

--Let's have an amazing evening,

Derrick, Ramunda & The MahoganyBooks Team