A video of the recent Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, featuring a keynote presentation by acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni, can now be viewed. A podcast of the event is also available.
A number of other exciting events are taking place at UCSC during Black History Month. All of them are sponsored by UCSC's African American Resource and Cultural Center.
Here are some of the upcoming presentations:
Living Writers Reading Series: giovanni singleton and Ara Shirinyan
2/16
6pm
Humanities Lecture Hall 206
giovanni singleton is currently at work on AMERICAN LETTERS: works on paper, a collection of concrete poems inspired by African American spirit writing, the aboriginal dreamtime, Tibetan meditation practice, and the study of Japanese language and calligraphy. Ara Shirinyan is the author of two books of poetry, Syria Is in the World and Your Country is Great. He co-curates The Last Sunday Reading Series at the Smell in Los Angeles (an all ages punk/art rock club that he helped co-found in 1997 and briefly ran for a year).
Black History Month Mini Conference
2/18
11am-6pm
Bay Tree Conference Center
The African American Resource and Cultural Center is hosting an all-day, student-led conference with a range of workshops, as well as performances. Food will be provided. If you would like to hold a workshop/discussion session/short screening, contact arwagone@ucsc.edu
Van Jones: "Rebuilding the Dream"
2/21
7pm
Stevenson Event Center
Van Jones is the founder of Rebuild the Dream, an engine helping to drive the movement to renew the American Dream. They harness the power of media and technology to mobilize, organize, and broaden the base of people working to fix America's economy and restore our democracy. (See Story.)
AATAT presents: Ruined
2/24-2/26
7pm (Sunday event: 3pm)
Second Stage Theater
The African American Theatre Arts Troupe presents Ruined. Set in a rainforest bar and brothel in the brutally war-torn land of Congo, the play follows as the establishment’s shrewd matriarch, Mama Nadi, as she keeps peace between customers from both sides of the civil war, as government soldiers and rebel forces alike choose from her inventory of women, many already “ruined” by rape and torture when they were pressed into prostitution. Inspired by interviews she conducted in Africa with Congo refugees, Nottage has crafted an engrossing and uncommonly human story with humor and song served alongside its postcolonial and feminist politics. Also being shown March 2-3 at Stevenson, and March 9-10 at the Oldmeyer Center.
— For more information, people can contact Duane Garner at dgarner@ucsc.edu.
