The Moral Imperative is a collaborative project for the Spring of 2026

This project is supported by Just Buffalo Literary Center as part of their Civil Writes Project in concert with their BABEL Series featuring author Imani Perry her book Black In Blues and her BABEL discussion on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

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This project is the successor to The Moral Imperative 2025.

Together, we read and discuss Black in Blues and Make Me Rain.
Together, we attend Imani Perry’s BABEL discussion.
Together, we write our truth as it connects with these works and specifically when we have felt a moral imperative.
Together, we present our work and celebrate this experience.

Community Canvases’ The Moral Imperative:

In 2026, The Moral Imperative offers community members a continuing opportunity to reflect deeply on how their personal experiences relate to Imani Perry’s book Black in Blues and to her April 23, 2026 BABEL discussion. In the words of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., this book details the history of how “Black people became ‘Blues People.’” The group will reflect on this book as well as on Make Me Rain by poet Nikki Giovanni, who accessibly expressed the personal and the profound.

This is an opportunity to gather with residents from across Buffalo for a gentle & encouraging space of witnessing each other and our world, and then expressing our truth though writing.

The brief application to participate is open now and applications will be considered on a rolling basis through March 27, 2026. Gatherings will be on evenings (mainly Tuesdays): March 31, April 14, April 23, April 28, May 5, May 12, May 26. Learn more at https://kindfools.org/moralimperative/

This project is organized by Kamau R.E. Fields, Hy Carrel, Dr. Steve Peraza, Samuel Floyd, and Chanda O’Donnell de Ramirez in collaboration with Just Buffalo Literary Center’s Civil Writes Project and Buffalo Latino Village Press.

The goal of this project is to provide community members a continuing opportunity to reflect deeply on their personal experiences and on how they relate to the topics in these books and this BABEL discussion.

The Moral Imperative Flyer

Activities:

  • Friday, March 27th apply anytime before 9pm Apply
  • Tuesday, March 31 at 6pm-7:30pm Welcome Gathering for core group (books distributed)
  • Tuesday, April 14 at 6pm-8pm Book Discussion
  • Thursday, April 23 7pm-10pm Imani Perry’s BABEL talk (complimentary admission for core group)
  • Tuesday, April 28 6:00pm-8:30pm WRITE ON intuitive writing group
  • Tuesday, May 5 6:00pm-8:30pm WRITE ON intuitive writing group
  • Tuesday, May 12 6:00pm-8:30pm WRITE ON intuitive writing group
  • Tuesday, May 26 6:00pm-8:30pm WRITE ON intuitive writing group
  • Friday, June 5 by 9:00pm Deadline to Submit writings
  • Saturday, July 18 1:00-3:00pm Celebration/Presentation of publication of writings by core group
The Moral Imperative Flyer

In June 2024, each poet performed their poem from “Heavy Reflections”

Heavy Reflections Poets

Black in Blues and Make Me Rain are available from local bookstores such as Talking Leaves, Fitz Books and Zawadi Books.

For more information on this collaboration between Kamau R.E. Fields, Dr. Steve Peraza, Recovery Stories’ Samuel Floyd, Chanda O’Donnell de Ramirez and Community Canvases’ Kind Fools, please reach out to Hy Carrel at hy@communitycanvases.org or (716) 259-2725

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