The Waterbearers: A Memoir of Mothers & Daughters | Sasha Bonét Moderated by: Stevona Elem-Rogers

In Waterbearers: A Memoir of Mothers and Daughters, writer and cultural critic Sasha Bonét explores the intimate, complicated bonds between women across generations—how love, grief, inheritance, and resilience flow from mother to daughter and back again. In conversation with moderator Stevona Elem-Rogers, Bonét reflects on the making of the memoir, the personal histories that shaped it, and the emotional labor of telling family stories with honesty and care. Together, they’ll consider how memory, storytelling, and self-discovery help us understand where we come from—and how those stories shape who we become. The New Orleans Book Festival brings the world’s leading authors to Tulane University for a multi-day celebration of their works. The Festival features both fiction and non-fiction and convenes readings, panel discussions, symposia and keynote speeches. It provides an opportunity for outlets, authors and readers to interact with each other in one of the most vibrant and culturally diverse cities in the world.