Sugar, Spice, and Spirit: Finding Community in Baking

Join the New York Public Library for the World Literature and Arts Festival at Bronx Library Center for a discussion on baking and community.

Sugar, Spice, and Spirit: Finding Community in Baking at the Bronx Library Center will be a vibrant exploration of how sugar, butter, and flour can act as a bridge between cultures and generations. Moderated by Bronx Native Paola Velez, pastry chef and activist known for co-founding Bakers Against Racism, the panel brings together a diverse group of culinary leaders to discuss the deeper meaning behind their craft. Velez will guide the conversation with a focus on social impact, highlighting how baking can be a powerful tool for community building and personal expression.

The panel features Abi Balingit, author of Mayumu, Caroline Schiff, pastry chef and author who shares insights on the intersection of baking and mental health, and Justin Burke, a champion of queer voices in food whose work centers around building a stronger queer and trans community through baking. Together, these creators will dive into how baking serves can be a meaningful way to preserve cultural history while building a more inclusive future.

Register now. This event will take place in person and online. 

To join the event in person | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. 

If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.

To join the event online | Please register for an Online Ticket. A livestream of this event will be available on this NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The New York Public Library’s World Literature & Arts Festival (April 15–30, 2026) brings together trailblazers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to celebrate storytelling and spotlight NYC’s vibrant communities. Join us for free events, programs, book recommendations, and resources for all ages.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Paola Velez is a James Beard Award winning pastry chef, cookbook author of Bodega Bakes, and chef-owner of Bar Providencia in Washington, D.C. She is also the co-founder of Bakers Against Racism, a global baking movement that mobilizes food communities for social justice. 

Justin Burke is an award-winning pastry chef, queer food writer, and recipe developer. They are the author of Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride (Countryman Press, 2025) and host of the podcast That Ate: Queer Food Podcast. Justin’s work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Simply Recipes, Southern Living, and Better Homes & Gardens. They live in Columbia, South Carolina, with their husband and son.

Caroline Schiff is an award-winning pastry chef and cookbook author in Brooklyn, NY with nearly two decades of experience in restaurants, bakeries, and cafés. She is widely known by her instagram moniker, @pastryschiff and was most recently the Executive Pastry Chef at Brooklyn’s acclaimed Gage & Tollner (where she created her infamous baked alaska). Caroline is also a Food and & Wine Best New Chef 2022, James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef Finalist 2022 and author of The Sweet of Sourdough. Next up, she plans to open her first brick and mortar concept - Monday Diner - in New York this summer and release her sophomore cookbook Daily Dessert this fall.

Abi Balingit is a baker and author based in Brooklyn. Her debut cookbook, Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed won the 2024 James Beard Emerging Voice Award in Books. When she’s not working full-time at a live music company, she is running a baking blog called The Dusky Kitchen.

BOOKS & MORE 

Discover more books and ideas tied to this program in The New York Public Library's collections. 

If you have a NYPL library card, you can borrow books related this event and even more NYPL e-books—on your favorite device. Learn more: nypl.org/ebookhelp

Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES

In-Person

• Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. 


• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.


• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

Livestream

• Live captioning will be provided.


• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.

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