Monday, May 12, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free (Zoom)

Join WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jane Wesman for a virtual New Member Social, a fun and informal way for members to connect and get to know each other. You’ll have a chance to tell us about yourself and why you joined WMG. And you'll learn about upcoming programs and benefits. Meet the other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors, who make WMG such an extraordinary organization.

This social is open to WMG members who have joined within the past year—and to other members who want to learn more about what WMG has to offer.

WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington (left) and Jane Wesman, along with other WMG Board Members, are hosting this virtual social.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, May 15, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Tsion Cafe in Harlem, 763 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10031

$45 for WMG members; $55 for non-members

Join us for a memorable evening of networking, culture, and cuisine at Tsion Cafe, the popular Harlem restaurant of chef and author Beejhy Barhany. In celebration of her new cookbook, Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond, Beejhy invites WMG members and friends to experience the flavors and traditions of Ethiopian and Israeli cuisine. She will be joined by literary agent Sally Ekus, Knopf senior editor Tom Pold, and writer and cookbook collaborator Elisa Ung for a discussion about bringing this unique cookbook to life.

Guests will enjoy:

• A plant-based buffet dinner featuring dishes inspired by Gursha

• A signature cocktail crafted from a recipe in the book

• A panel discussion on the making of Gursha with Beejhy Barhany, Sally Ekus, Tom Pold, and moderator Elisa Ung

• A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony led by Beejhy Barhany

• Dessert, book sales, and a signing with the author

This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow food lovers, gain insight into cookbook publishing, and learn about the culture and traditions of the Ethiopian Jewish community. All are welcome!

Speakers:

Beejhy Barhany is the founding owner and executive chef of Tsion Cafe, an Ethiopian and Israeli restaurant in Harlem’s historic Sugar Hill neighborhood. She is the author of Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond, ​​a cookbook featuring more than one hundred accessible and healthy recipes, stories, and traditions from the intersection of the African and Jewish diasporas. Beejhy was born in Ethiopia, raised mostly in Israel, and moved to New York in 2001. In 2003, she founded BINA Cultural Foundation, a cultural organization dedicated to the empowerment of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) community within the United States. She is a frequent cooking teacher and speaker at Jewish cultural events in the New York area. She lives with her husband and two children in Harlem. 

Sally Ekus is a Senior Literary Agent at JVNLA where she spearheads The Ekus Group, a boutique culinary division specializing in cookbook and lifestyle titles. She represents a wide range of culinary, health, wellness, and lifestyle talent, from first-time cookbook authors to chefs, restaurant owners, professional food writers, bloggers, online creators, and journalists. On the non-culinary side, Sally represents books about caregiving and parenting, and is expanding into select other non-fiction genres. From concept to contract, she has brokered over 300 book deals with top publishers. Sally hosts an online community called How to be a Cookbook Author and writes the Not So Secret Agent newsletter. She is a mom, taco lover, and improvisor.

Tom Pold is a senior editor at Alfred A. Knopf, where he acquires and edits cookbook and food narratives for Knopf Cooks, as well as handles backlist titles for Knopf Cooks Classics, like Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Edna Lewis and Madhur Jaffrey.  

Moderator: 

Elisa Ung, an award-winning writer and former restaurant critic, was honored to partner with Beejhy Barhany on the writing of Gursha. She has more than 20 years of professional storytelling experience and a passion for telling stories of immigration, food, dining, and mental health. She is the co-author of Mango and Peppercorns (Chronicle Books, 2021), a memoir by Tung Nguyen, Katherine Manning, and Lyn Nguyen (a Vietnamese refugee, her American hostess, and the daughter they raised together), which won the 2022 IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) award for Literary or Historical Food Writing. Her recent collaborations also include the New York Times bestseller The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook by Monique Volz and the Audible Original Be Well: A Guide to Better Mental Health for All by psychiatrist Dr. Jessica Clemons. She is a former food critic and dining columnist for the Bergen Record and Northjersey.com and a former state government reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, May 21, 5:15-7:30 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Cerf-Lane Room

$15 for WMG members, $20 for non-members

Doors open at 5:15 for wine and cheese 

Panel starts promptly at 6:15

More time for networking after the panel 

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, WMG invites you to join us for an exceptional panel featuring distinguished AANHPI literary voices. This event celebrates the rich cultural tapestry and diverse perspectives that AANHPI authors bring to their work.

Experience an evening of meaningful conversation as our accomplished panelists share their creative journeys, cultural influences, and the inspirations behind their award-winning books. This special event offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of identity, belonging, and artistic expression through the lens of these remarkable storytellers. Their creativity will inspire you to claim your voice and harness your narrative power to tell your own story. 

This celebration of AANHPI literary excellence includes time for community connection and networking. Refreshments will be served. WMG members and non-members are welcome.

Panelists:

Katie Kitamura’s most recent novel is Audition. She is also the author of Intimacies, one of The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2021 and one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2021. It was longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and was a finalist for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. In France, it won the Prix Litteraire Lucien Barriere, was a finalist for the Grand Prix de l’Heroine, and was longlisted for the Prix Fragonard. Her third novel, A Separation, was a finalist for the Premio von Rezzori and a New York Times Notable Book. Her two previous novels, Gone To The Forest and The Longshot, were both finalists for the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award. Her work has been translated into 22 languages and is being adapted for film and television. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, a Cullman Center Fellowship, as well as fellowships from the Lannan, Santa Maddalena, and Jan Michalski foundations. Katie has written for publications including The New York Times Book Review, The Guardian, Granta, BOMB, Triple Canopy, and Frieze. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.

Photo credit: Clayton Cubitt

Megha Majumdar is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel A Burning, which was nominated for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize, and the American Library Association's Andrew Carnegie Medal. It was named one of the best books of the year by media including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, Vogue, and TIME Magazine. Her work has been supported by the Whiting, Civitella Ranieri, and Hawthornden foundations. Born and raised in Kolkata, India, she now lives in New York. Her new novel, A Guardian and a Thief, will be published by Knopf in 2026.

Photo credit: Marco Giugliarelli for the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, 2024

Hyeseung Song is a first-generation Korean American painter and the author of Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl. Docile has been called a "savagely beautiful memoir" by David Henry Hwang, a "revelation" by Chloé Cooper Jones and was named a "Best Book" by Apple and “Most Anticipated” by Electric Literature, BookRiot and more. Raised in Texas, Song studied philosophy at Princeton and Harvard Universities, and painting at the Grand Central Atelier in New York City. A two-time Greenshields award winner, TedX speaker, and resident artist of the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico, the Vermont Studio Center and the Alfred and Trafford Klots International Program, Song has also taught at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is at work on her first novel. Song lives in Brooklyn and upstate New York. 

Photo credit: Jack Sorokin

Qian Julie Wang is the New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Country: A Memoir of An Undocumented Childhood, which was named a best book of 2021 by the New York Times, President Obama, NPR, Newsweek, and more. A graduate of Yale Law School and Swarthmore College, Qian Julie is also managing partner of Gottlieb & Wang LLP, a firm dedicated to advancing educational civil rights for marginalized populations. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Moderator:

Vicky Nguyen is an anchor and correspondent for NBC News and the Today show and author of Boat Baby: A Memoir. Her reporting gives consumers valuable information for how to live healthier, wealthier, and safer lives. Vicky’s dynamic storytelling has led to impactful changes at the local and national level and resulted in numerous awards, including a National Emmy, the Gerald Loeb Award for Business and Financial Journalism, and the duPont Columbia Award for Broadcast Journalism. She graduated as valedictorian from the University of San Francisco. Vicky is based in New York, and when she’s not working she enjoys spending time with her husband, their three daughters, and tiny dog Moose. Her parents are always nearby.

Photo credit: Deborah Feingold 

Books will be available for sale at this event, courtesy of Word Up Community Bookshop.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

This is a ⚡️WMG Power Hour️⚡️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Friday, June 13, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET

The New York Botanical Garden, LuEsther T. Mertz Library, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458

WMG members only; FREE

Join Penguin Random House’s Library Marketing team for an exclusive morning at the New York Botanical Garden’s LuEsther T. Mertz Library, featuring a conversation with the award-winning chef and author Amy Chaplin and a book signing. 

Immerse yourself in the world of whole food cooking as Amy shares her culinary journey, insights, and inspirations. Following the book talk, enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Mertz Library, one of the largest and most comprehensive botanical libraries in the world, led by its Director, Rhonda Evans. This is a unique opportunity to explore the library’s vast collections and learn about its rich history. 

Here’s what’s included:

• Captivating book talk by award-winning chef and author Amy Chaplin
• Complimentary copy of At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen for each guest
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Mertz Library with Director Rhonda Evans
• Free admission to the New York Botanical Garden (which is accessible via public transportation)
• Free parking permits available upon request

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with fellow food lovers, meet a renowned chef, and explore the wonders of the Mertz Library. Reserve your spot today and be part of an unforgettable experience!

Speakers:
Amy Chaplin has been a vegetarian chef for the last twenty years. Prior to settling in New York and working as the executive chef at Angelica Kitchen, she was a chef at Shizen, a Japanese macrobiotic restaurant in Amsterdam, and a pastry chef at Amsterdam’s famous bakery De taart van m’n tante. In London, Amy founded The Lekker Lounge, a catering company specializing in gourmet vegetarian and vegan food. Currently, Amy teaches and cooks privately for clients, consults and develops recipes for restaurants and food companies, and blogs at amychaplin.com. Amy has been featured in Martha Stewart Living, appears regularly as a guest on WNYC radio’s “Last Chance Foods,” and has been a contributor for publications such as Delicious Living Magazine and New York Magazine. She is author of Whole Food Cooking Every Day and At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen which won an IACP and James Beard award. Photo credit: Johnny Miller.
 

Rhonda Evans is the Director of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden, one of the largest and most comprehensive botanical libraries in the world. Rhonda joined NYBG from the New York Public Library where she held various roles over eight years. For most of her tenure at NYPL, she was the Assistant Chief Librarian at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rhonda has written for multiple library publications, including Libraries: Culture, History, and Society, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, and the anthology The Black Librarian in America Reflections, Resistance, and Reawakening.