Book Launch: Flies in the Tropics with Author Niki Franco

The People’s Forum will host a book launch and celebration for Flies in the Tropics, published by 1804 Books, on Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Manhattan. Debut author Niki Franco—a queer, Marxist, Black Caribbean community organizer and cultural worker originally from Miami—will present the work and join a panel conversation with fellow organizers and political educators Maya Finoh and Tahia Islam, an antiwar organizer with Artists Against Apartheid and student at the CUNY School of Law. Following the discussion, the program will feature an audience question-and-answer session, an author book signing, and music from DJ RAQX.

According to the organizers, Flies in the Tropics examines how decades of US foreign policy, CIA intervention, and economic austerity measures have disrupted life across the Caribbean Basin, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and migrant communities in South Florida. The discussion focuses on confronting the material impacts of state violence and economic coercion while documenting how grassroots movements and displaced peoples organize collective resistance across borders.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Attendees should reserve a ticket through Eventbrite before arriving. Copies of Flies in the Tropics will be available on-site for purchase and signing courtesy of 1804 Books. The gathering will also offer complimentary wine service provided by Terra Sancta Wines and Spirits alongside El-Sabban Wine.

The event takes place at The People’s Forum, located at 320 West 37th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. For full details or to RSVP, visit The People’s Forum.