What Does “Blue” Mean to You? Share YOUR Story.
In Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, Imani Perry traces the color blue across centuries—through indigo fields, the labor of enslaved hands, spiritual resistance, sorrow, freedom songs, blues music, and pride.
Inspired by Perry’s moving book, Just Buffalo invites you to tell your “blue story.”
What does blue mean to you? A specific memory? A place or time?
We welcome poems, prose pieces, personal reflections, photos, and visual art.
Through this community project, your words will join others across time & place as we explore the many shades of blue together.
Selected pieces will be shared digitally as part of Just Buffalo’s Civil Writes Project.
The “Meditations In Blue” Events Calendar
Check out what events are coming up around Buffalo for the “Meditations In Blue” Civil Writes Project.
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Meditations In Blue: YOUR Shared Stories & Other News
Stay up-to-date on the latest news about “Meditations In Blue” (including YOUR shared “blue” stories) and other Civil Writes Projects from the Just Buffalo Literary Center.
What Does “Blue” Mean to You? Share Your Story.
Inspired by Imani Perry’s moving work, Just Buffalo invites you to pause and reflect on your own “blue story.”
In the world of literature, art, and life, blue is never just a color. It is a mood, a melody, a memory, and a landscape. It represents our struggles and the heights of our beauty. As part of our Civil Writes Project, we are seeking meditations on the many shades of this experience.
BABEL with James McBride
On April 30, 2025, our season concluded with a visit from esteemed author James McBride, author of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.
BABEL with Kiese Laymon
What a beautiful ending to a great season. Thank you Kiese Laymon for your warmth, your vulnerability, your humor, and your incredible work. Thank you to our audience, both at Kleinhans and at home—the magic of BABEL is because of all of you.
BABEL with Isabel Wilkerson
On April 26, 2023, our BABEL season concluded with a visit from National Book Critics Circle Award-winning and bestselling author Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.
Stories of the Underground Railroad Inspire Novels and Action
Stories of the Underground Railroad are essential to remembering and learning from our past, inspiring astonishing novels and inspiring action toward a more just society. Join us on April 30 for a tour of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center after BABEL with Colson Whitehead on April 21.