History of the Black Writers Reunion & Conference
BWRC began as the annual gathering for members of the African American Online Writers Guild, an Internet-based association of aspiring and published creative writers, to facilitate our coming together to network in person and share knowledge and information on the craft and business of writing for publication.
The inaugural event, held August 2000 in Atlanta, was co-chaired by Charene Thornton, Nicki Hand, and Tia Ross (Shabazz). Highlights included the keynote speech by Evelyn Palfrey, the Inspirational Sunday Brunch speech by Dr. Arlene Churn, and the first Gold Pen Awards ceremony with award presentations punctuated by dramatic performances from acclaimed stage director Terrence Spivey. Speakers included Rochelle Alers, Vincent Alexandria, Ta-Shia Asanti, Angela Benson, Monica Blache, A'Lelia Bundles, K. Campbell, Evelyn Coleman, Gwynne Forster, Daryl Green, Donna Hill, Caron Knauer, Timmothy McCann, Deirdre Savoy, Tia Ross, Mack Smith, Terrence Spivey, Margie Walker, Saleem Abdal-Khaaliq, Padmore Agbemabiese, Monica Jackson, Francis Ray, Tracy Price-Thompson, Marrissa Dick, and Jacquelin Thomas. Staff members included Monica Blache, Nicki Hand, and Tonya King.
The second conference was held in Dallas at the beautiful Renaissance Dallas North Hotel (now a Doubletree hotel) in August 2001 to outstanding review. The keynote speech was given by Robert Fleming and the Inspirational Sunday Brunch by Nathasha Brooks-Harris. Gold Pen Awards Ceremony boasted performances again directed by Terrence Spivey and written by Ta'Shia Asanti followed by a soiree at which Steven Barnes and wife Tananarive Due along with Brian Egeston and wife Latise all showed out in the Soul Train line. Speakers included Deatema Abdul-Latif, Rochelle Alers, Vincent Alexandria, Ta'Shia Asanti, Steven Barnes, Nathasha Brooks-Harris, Keino Campbell, Evelyn Coleman, Tananarive Due, Brian Egeston, Tonya Marie Evans Esq., Robert Fleming, Gwynne Forster, Sharon Ewell Foster, Tracy Grant, Daryl Green, Donna Hill, Althea Hughes, Brenda Jackson, Norma Jarrett, Sandra Kitt, Francis Ray, Jewell Parker 
Rhodes, Deirdre Savoy, Tia Ross, Sara Freeman Smith, Terrence Spivey, Carol Taylor, Maxine Thompson, Margie Walker, Pat G'Orge Walker, Pam Walker-Williams, Donna Marie Williams, and Nancy Flowers Wilson. Staff members included Monica Blache, Adrienne Starkey, Kimberly Hines, and Tonya (Journey) King.
After September 11, the 2002 conference, which was scheduled to be held at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel one block from the Los Angeles International Airport, was cancelled and the conference postponed indefinitely. For four years the return of the conference remained an ongoing request, and finally, in 2005, Tia felt the time was right to bring it back in July 2006. The third conference was held in Dallas once again at the Radisson Hotel. Speakers included Vincent Alexandria, Dr. Venise Berry, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Nathasha Brooks-Harris, Anita Bunkley, Tonya Marie Evans Esq., Gwynne Forster, Marilynn Griffith, Chris Howell, Deatri King-Bey, Gail Johnson, Mondella Jones, Shana Murph, Evelyn Palfrey, Eric Pete, Deirdre Savoy, Kat Smith, Mack and Sara Smith, Stormy Steele, and Pam Walker-Williams.
At the urging of Gwynne Forster, Anita Bunkley, Evelyn Palfrey, Christie Dawson, Jamal Sharif, Donna Deloney, and countless others, Tia agreed that the Black Writers Reunion & Conference must live on. Because another commitment prevented her from producing a conference in 2007, she began planning the next two conferences for 2008 and 2009.
The African American Online Writers Guild/Black Writers Alliance
The AAOWG was a 501c3 nonprofit membership-based literary arts association founded Juneteenth 1998 by Tia Ross with 39 members of another group she'd formed in Houston, the Houston African-American Writers Society. After the first conference, the name of the organization was changed to Black Writers Alliance and the group grew to more than 7,000 members in the first three years under Tia's direction.
Its mission was to educate, empower, and enlighten Black writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, and to promote networking within the Black writing community. It succeeded in this through national, regional, local offline and online discussion, critique, and writing groups, publication of a monthly newsletter rich with opportunities, news, and events relating to the craft of writing and business of publishing. Members shared news of book announcements, tour dates, and milestones identified and surpassed as aspiring writers learned to take their talents more seriously and view their dreams as attainable. Countless literary entrepreneurs found their wings under the nurturing and guidance of pioneers like Mack Smith, Sara Freeman Smith, Tonya Marie Evans, Esq., and Tracy Price Thompson while hundreds of authors found support, expanded their networks and fan bases, and mentored newbies in a predominantly online community so surreal that it truly felt like family.
Inevitably the day came when the original BWA family transitioned to channeling their energy more into their writing and publishing endeavors and less time talking about them via the discussion list. The tone of the group changed so much that it became unrecognizable. Tia continued to serve as Executive Director until May 30, 2003 when she dissolved the association and consolidated all discussion groups into one, Black Writers United. Omavi Victorine took over as moderator of the 2,500-plus member group from 2003 to late 2004 as Tia redirected her focus to achieving personal academic goals and her consulting firm. Although the BWA no longer exists, the era remains a fond memory and turning point for countless members of "Da Family"—the family for whom Reunion remains in Black Writers Reunion & Conference.