Page 30 - FDCC_Flyer_Winter2024

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winter | federation flyer
www.thefederation.org
On Sunday,
September 15,
the first day of the
Corporate Counsel
Symposium in
New Orleans, the
FDCC Diversity
Committee welcomed local author,
Alex Jennings, to speak about
his novel, The Ballad of Perilous
Graves. Properly classified as Afro-
Surrealist fantasy literature, this
book combines vivid descriptions,
complex characters, and elements
of authentic New Orleans culture
to create a riveting story that is
imaginative, thrilling, and magical.
The book explores a fictionalized
parallel version of New Orleans
called “Nola” and follows Perilous
(“Perry”), his sister Brendy, and
their friend Peaches as they set out
to save their city through elements
of music and adventure. Within
the fantastical plot, the book also
addresses and provides context to
a multitude of cultural, gender, and
racial diversity issues.
I had the privilege of leading the
question-and-answer session
with Alex, during which we
explored the influences on Alex
as a writer, Alex’s writing process,
and the development of the
novel’s characters. I know I speak
for everyone in recognizing the
extraordinary way in which Alex
was able to connect with audience,
along with his overall candor and
authenticity in discussing the
book and his own experiences.
Alex began by sharing about his
upbringing as the child of a United
States diplomat, including his
experience moving around as a
child—from Germany to Botswana,
and then Surinam and Tunisia, to
name just a few—and his exposure
to different views and ways of life in
the process. This ultimately segued
into a discussion about Alex’s first
trip to New Orleans in 2003, his
path to becoming a New Orleans
resident, and the manner in which
he has learned and immersed
himself in the City’s culture.
We spent a great deal of time
talking about the characters in his
novel. For example, in developing
Peaches, Alex reimagined Pippi
Longstocking, the beloved
childhood character of so many
of us, as “a little red-boned girl
Kelly Brilleaux
CCS DIVERSITY
BOOK CLUB EVENT
WITH ALEX JENNINGS
By Kelly Brilleaux, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart Moore & Daniels
FDCC Meetings - Looking Back