Angie Thomas, the bestselling, award-winning author of The Hate U Give, presents her highly anticipated second novel, On the Come Up, at Oakland Technical High School Auditorium on Monday, February 18, 3-5 p.m. Thomas will be in conversation with MK Asante, award-winning writer, filmmaker, hip-hop artist, and distinguished professor. Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up (published February 5 by HarperCollins), an ode to hip-hop, is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn't always free.

MCs and HOSTS: The event will be MC'd by Oakland Youth Poet Laureates Liela Mottley and Samuel Getachew. The event hosts are Oakland Unified School District Library Services and Berkeley’s Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore.

TICKETS:

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Email Amy Cheney at amy.cheney@ousd.org for more information. There may be a limited number of tickets for sale on the day of the event at 2:45. Please plan to arrive at 2pm to secure a spot. Doors open at 2:00, Youth Poet Laureates will perform at 2:45.

Parking & Details:

Street parking and on-campus parking are avaible at the 42nd Street entrance. Doors open at 2:00pm, show starts at 2:45pm, Angie at 3pm. Please arrive early to find parking and a good seat.

Additional Guidelines:

• Tickets are required to attend. General ticket holders receive a pre-signed copy of On the Come Up, a complimentary copy of MK Asante's Buck, and admission to a discussion between Angie Thomas and MK Asante. Seating is limited, and will be provided on a first come, first served basis. Purchase of a ticket guarantees entrance to the event, but may not necessarily guarantee a seat at the event, as later arrivals may be placed in standing room only.

• Angie will not sign books following the discussion and audience Q&A. Books will be pre-signed. Photos will be allowed.
  

• No flash photography is allowed during the on-stage portion of the event. Video recording, audio recording, and/or live-streaming during the event is not possible without prior written permission from HarperCollins.

A former teen rapper, Angie Thomas holds a BFA in creative writing from Bellhaven University. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, is a #1 New York Times bestseller and major motion picture from Fox 2000 starring Amandla Stenberg and directed by George Tillman, Jr. She was born, raised, and still lives in Jackson, Mississippi.

MK Asante is the author of It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop: The Rise of the Post-Hip-Hop Generation and Buck: A Memoir, currently being adapted into a major motion picture.

For more information about Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Library Services, visit us here.