In April, Friends Select welcomed Asali Solomon as part of our Upper School Visiting Writer Program. Throughout the day, Solomon met with students and faculty in multiple settings. Her visit began in the morning, as she spoke at an assembly attended by the entire upper school. She later had a talkback session with students, led a writing workshop, and taught an English elective.
Asali Solomon is a Philadelphia-born author whose work is deeply connected to the city. She was raised in West Philadelphia. She attended Henry C. Lea Elementary School, The Baldwin School, and later graduated from Central High School. Much of her writing reflects on the neighborhoods and experiences in Philadelphia, specifically in her book Disgruntled, set in the city during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Get Down, a collection of stories centered in Philadelphia. Her most recent novel, The Days of Afrekete, continues her exploration of identity, relationships, and community.
Solomon studied at Barnard College before earning a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MFA in fiction from the University of Iowa. She currently teaches fiction writing and literature of the African diaspora at Haverford College. Previously, she taught at Washington and Lee University and Trinity College. In addition to her books, her writings have appeared in many literary magazines, including The Oprah Magazine, Vibe, Essence, The Paris Review Daily, McSweeney’s, and several anthologies.
During her visit, Solomon reflected on how she originally became interested in storytelling. As a child, she often read beyond what was typical of her age, including books by authors like Toni Morrison. Although she began as a poet, she eventually shifted to fiction after realizing she wanted more room to develop stories. “I just kept trying to jam long stories into poems,” she said. “And so then I basically started writing stories.”
When talking about her writing process, Solomon explained that she rarely starts with a fully formed idea. More often, her stories start with a single scene, and from there they become larger and more complex. She said that when beginning The Days of Afrekete, she started with the scene of “a woman in her kitchen talking to her mother about the potential for her husband to go to prison.”
During the writing workshop, Solomon told Friends Select students about her own personal experiences and what inspired her. She encouraged students to keep writing, “break up” from their phones, and allow themselves to be bored. She highlights the importance of boredom as a space where creativity can happen.
When asked about what advice she would give to students who are interested in writing, Solomon said, “Think of it as something that you’re doing for yourself.” She also reminded students that “writing is its own reward.”
Miriam Rock, Friends Select’s English department chair, highlighted the importance of the visit, saying, “This is the eighth year the English department has spearheaded our Visiting Writer Program, and we think it’s such an important way to encourage students to think about writing and reading beyond the classroom. We love the opportunity for students to connect with professional writers and to get their questions answered. Asali Solomon had so many incredible insights to offer our students, and we were thrilled she agreed to spend the day with us. I was especially impressed by the writers’ workshop that she offered at lunch to interested students. I encourage every Friends Select student to read her books!”
Solomon’s visit to Friend Select gave students and teachers a chance to learn from a Philadelphia author whose work is rooted in the city. By the end of the day, students got deeper insights into the writing process and the importance of creativity.
