Innovation Speakers: An Evening with Boots Riley

Join us for a conversation with award winning director, writer, and musician Boots Riley.

This is going to be a night to remember as we sit down with Boots Riley! During this conversation we will talk to Boots about his upcoming new series I'm a Virgo, his legendary career leading the hip-hop/funk/punk group the Coup, his journey through the entertainment industry, and more during this conversation and audience Q&A. 

Do you have a question for Boots Riley? Send it to centerforinnovation@faylib.org by Monday March 6th, for a chance be part of the audience Q&A!

This event is first-come, first-served with a capacity of 650. No registration is required.

Event doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Boots Riley is a director, activist, screenwriter, producer, poet, rapper, and speaker.

His directorial debut “Sorry to Bother You” premiered to strong critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival.

By embedding messages regarding economic and class critique as well as politically progressive movement building into dystopian science fiction satire, “Sorry To Bother You” brought issues surrounding income inequality into wide public discussion in the United States and abroad.

His latest series I’m A Virgo will premiere at SXSW. The absurdist comedy about a 13ft tall Black man who lives in Oakland, California stars Jharrel Jerome (who won an Emmy for his role in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us), Brett Gray, Walton Goggins, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Kara Young, Olivia Washington, and Allius Barnes with a score by Tuneyards.

Boots Riley is also the founding member and lead vocalist of The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club featuring Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine on guitar.

A dedicated community based activist, Boots was deeply involved with the Occupy Oakland movement and was one of the leaders of the activist group The Young Comrades.

He is the author of the critically acclaimed collection of essays “Tell Homeland Security-We Are the Bomb” (Haymarket Books). 

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