The 37th annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, “Ignite the Future,” will celebrate literacy and the accomplishments of Oakland Literacy Council’s students and volunteers. Proceeds support the Council’s work helping adults improve their reading, math, computer and English language skills.

This year’s keynote speaker is Curtis Chin, a Detroit native, filmmaker and bestselling author of Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. His memoir explores growing up in his family’s Detroit restaurant and was selected for the 2025–2026 Great Michigan Read. A University of Michigan graduate, Chin co-founded the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and served as its first executive director. His career includes television comedy, documentary filmmaking and writing for CNN, Bon Appétit and the Detroit Free Press. His documentary Dear Corky premiered on PBS’s American Masters. Learn more about Curtis Chin.

Kemp Klein is an Epic Sponsor of this year’s event. For 32 years, the Kemp Klein Foundation has supported Oakland Literacy Council and its annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, reflecting the firm’s belief in the importance of literacy to individuals and the community. Learn more about the Kemp Klein Foundation.

The event takes place Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at The Village Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit the 2026 Ex Libris event page.