Story and Photos by Alexia Anthony
Data News Weekly Contributor
While she is best known for bringing characters to life on screen, her next act is bringing characters to children’s imagination through vivid, illustrated books. Actress and now Author Tatyana Ali made a New Orleans stop on her Book Tour on Feb. 2nd, for a Special Reading of her 2025 book “Aszi and the Octopus.”
“We already know how important it is to see ourselves,” Ali said at the event at St. Noir Café. “We can all be protagonists. We can all be heroes. The stories we tell ourselves are who we become.”
Ali, who is now a mother to two sons, has been in the entertainment business since she was 6, beginning on “Sesame Street” on PBS, and then becoming a household name through “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” She is also a Recording Artist who graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor’s Degree in African American Studies.
“I hope they see themselves in Aszi,” Ali said. “I hope it jogs their imagination and helps them love language and love learning to read,” she said about the deeper importance of representation in children’s literature.
To kick off Black History Month, organizers at St. Noir Café, wanted to draw children back to literacy and culture through a space for creativity.
“We are a Community-Centered Cafe,” said Co-Owner Samjah Iman. “Being able to offer this free help brings people together. It’s inspiring. We need safe spaces like this,” Iman said.
Co-Owner Ava Pazon echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of centering children. “A large part of our mission is community, especially children,” Pazon said. “A lot of things start there. Bringing them together and helping them see what’s possible really speaks to what we want to do,”
During the reading, Ali shared her lyrical, imaginative story about Aszi, a curious boy who explores the ocean alongside an octopus. She said the book was inspired by her own family and her desire to create stories where young readers of color can see themselves reflected.
“You are your best thing,” Ali told the attendees. “Where you come from, who you are, your experiences. That’s your power.”
Given rapidly declining literacy rates among children, Educator Leslie Ridgley, an English Teacher in Jefferson Parish, said she hoped there will be more events to support literacy efforts in the community.
“As an educator, kids should know the start, the middle, and the end,” Ridgley said. “Reading is very important. This is giving back.”
Ali shared how storytelling has been central to her life, from her childhood acting career to her work in Maternal Health Advocacy. She also highlighted the importance of reading aloud and building literacy into everyday life.
“Food time is story time,” she said. “Kids read visually. You can open their imagination just by talking about what they see,” Ali said.
For St. Noir Café, the event represented the kind of programming the owners hope to continue offering. “Community is the heartbeat,” Iman said. “When you’re not for the community, what are you for?”
Pazon added that their goal is to provide a space where everyone feels welcomed.
“We wanted a Cafe Sanctuary,” she said. “A place where people can relax, recharge, and feel represented.”
As families left with signed books, Ali reminded attendees that literacy is more than reading words on a page. It is about seeing oneself, imagining possibilities, and building a future rooted in knowledge and love.
“Where you come from, who you are, your experiences, that’s your power,” Ali said.
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