New York Times best-selling Author Nic Stone coming to Marion to celebrate MLK Day

Sophia Veneziano, Marion Star
·3 min read
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Nic Stone
Nic Stone

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy, Marion organizations are hosting local events Monday, including a community breakfast and an MLK Program at the Marion Palace Theatre featuring a keynote presentation from New York Times best-selling author Nic Stone.

The Peace and Freedom Committee joined Marion Public Library to organize the day of remembrance and received support through a Racial Equity & Justice Grant from Marion Community Foundation to bring the Black author to Marion for the MLK Day events.

A Georgia-native and author of young adult and middle grade fiction, Stone is best known for her debut novel Dear Martin and her Middle Grade debut, Clean Getaway. Her most recent work, Fast Pitch, was published in August.

Nic Stone's most recent book, "Fast Pitch," is a coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.
Nic Stone's most recent book, "Fast Pitch," is a coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.

Additionally, before Stone takes the Palace stage Monday, local youth who were selected as winners in an art, poetry and public speaking contest centered around King Jr.’s dreams of peace, freedom and equality will be celebrated and receive awards.

The oratorical winners will even get to share on stage.

Event organizer from the Peace and Freedom Committee, Tara Dyer, said the events came together through great collaboration within the community.

“Shout out to the library! Shout out to Marion Community Foundation for providing grants that allow opportunities for us to bring in a noted author like Nic Stone. We feel so privileged, and the collaboration with the library has been amazing,” Dyer said.

Kicking off the morning with a ticketed community breakfast at 9 a.m., members of the public are invited to gather in the Marion Palace Theatre at 10 a.m. for the MLK Program, including the keynote presentation from Stone at 10:30 a.m.

COVID-19 presented challenges for the event organizers when making the final call as to whether or not to proceed with the events.

After weighing this tough decision due to the surge in the omicron variant, organizers decided to still hold the breakfast and program to follow but are taking the “upmost precautions,” Dyer explained.

Originally planning to host 400 people at the breakfast event, the Peace and Freedom Committee capped sales at 220 individuals to allow for social distancing. Masks will be required when not eating or drinking.

Members of the community have options to participate in the events according to individual comfort levels, with some who were originally planning on attending the breakfast choosing to only attend the program instead, according to Dyer.

After not being able to hold the event last year due to COVID, Marion Public Library Communications Manager Diane Watson said the library staff is excited to finally be able to make the event happen this year.

“We are excited to make it happen to see the kids excited and connecting and have her be able to speak at the Peace and Freedom Martin Luther King Breakfast Program and of course having all that as a part of a bigger community thing,” Watson said.

Later in the day Monday, Marion Public Library will hold a book-signing event with Stone from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and copies of Fast Pitch will be available to the first 200 students of ages 9 to 14 years at the event for her to sign.

“We are looking forward to having her come, especially for kids of the middle grade age to connect with an author that they might be familiar with – that’s probably the best component of what we see – and it coincides with Martin Luther King Day as well, so that makes it even better,” Watson said.

Though a holiday from work or school for most, Dyer said the importance of the opportunity to remember King’s work is not to be seen as a day off, but an opportunity to invite the community to dive deeper.

“I don’t take this day off. I don’t view it as a day off. I view it as a time to not only what Martin Luther King has done not only for our country, but for the world,” she said.

Story by: Sophia Veneziano (740) 564 - 5243 | sveneziano@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Best-selling Author Nic Stone coming to Marion to celebrate MLK Day