Brigid Black
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Brigid Black, Senior Production Manager at Simon & Schuster and Vice President of the New York Book Forum. I’m originally from Brooklyn. My family uprooted to southern Maine in 2020 when remote work became a reality. I’ve been working from home ever since. My non-book related interests include softball, snowshoeing, and karaoke.
How did you become involved with NYBF?
I was brought into the fold during the heart of the pandemic. NYBF had a broad focus on literacy and the larger book world and was sponsoring virtual-only events at the time (now we do a mix of both in-person and virtual programming), so all of that appealed to me.
What does your role at NYBF entail?
As Vice President, I wear a number of hats. I’m on our Membership Committee. I’m vocal at our monthly board meetings. If I think of a relevant topic to post on our social media pages, I’ll get in touch with our Communications team. I do a little of everything.
How long have you been working in the book world?
13 years! My first publishing job was at Penguin as a production assistant. I sort of “fell into” production and stuck with it. It ended up being a great fit since I have a math-oriented brain and enjoy working with vendors. I’ve also worked at Hachette Book Group and Union Square & Co. (formerly Sterling Publishing).
Before I joined NYBF, I held leadership roles with the now-defunct groups Book Industry Guild of New York (BIGNY) and the Young to Publishing Group (YPG). Extracurricular groups have played an important part in my publishing journey.
What do you mean by that?
Well, the publishing organizations I’ve been involved with over the years helped connect me with the industry-at-large. It’s really easy to get siloed into your day-to-day functions, especially when you’re first beginning your career. These groups enabled me to meet people from different companies and areas of publishing. The networking opportunities have been immeasurable. And I met some of my dearest friends during my YPG days!
What makes you personally passionate about literacy?
My wife and I are parents of a two-year-old son. As a queer family, it’s important to us that our child has books about all kinds of families. Of course, we live in an age of censorship, book banning, and the boycotting of drag queen story hours, and as a result, my involvement with NYBF feels more necessary than ever before. We at the Forum want to build bridges between the publishing industry and the public with an emphasis on reading and literacy – and that includes the freedom to read.
Anything else you’d like to share about NYBF?
We’ve just kicked off a big Leap Year Membership drive at NYBF! This includes discounts for multiple memberships purchased as well as deeper discounts for students and younger publishing employees. Visit our website for more information!
OK, what’s your go-to karaoke song?
That would be “Lovefool” by the Cardigans, “Hand in my Pocket” by Alanis Morrisette or “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by Barbra when I want to swing for the fences.