Appearances
Dear Yusef: Celebrating the Life and Work of Poet and Professor Yusef Komunyakaa
The first Furious Flower Poetry Conference was a historic gathering. Convened by Dr. Joanne Gabbin in September 1994 to celebrate the eminent poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the conference brought together Black poets, as well as scholars and lovers of Black poetry. The groundbreaking gathering was among the largest of its kind, drawing more than 30 acclaimed Black poets in conversation and audiences of up to 1,300 people. Attendees packed auditoriums on the campus of James Madison University to hear from Black poets and learn more about Black poetry.
Identity and Literature: A Conversation with the authors Julia Franck and Arnon Grunberg, moderated by poet Lynne Thompson
How can authors face the challenges of portraying experiences and cultures they have not personally lived, and the importance of avoiding stereotypical portrayals of their fictional characters? Do writers and their works bear responsibility for social conditions? To what extent do literature and literary writers negotiate moral convictions in their characters and stories? Does a writer have to act as a judge of good and evil and right and wrong through the choice of their character’s perspectives? The evening will provide valuable insights into how writers can navigate the delicate balance of respecting and honoring the identities of others while enriching their narratives with diverse perspectives.
Cultivate: LA Local
Don’t miss Cultivate: LA Local on April 26 from 4:30–7pm with live music, dancing, refreshments, and engaging experiences in nature that will connect you more deeply to the world around you.
The event is free with admission or membership, no registration required.
Lynne Thompson, reading from 'Blue on a Blue Palette'
The adopted daughter of Caribbean immigrants, Lynne Thompson was Los Angeles’ 2021-22 Poet Laureate and received a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. She is the author of four collections of poetry, mostly recently BLUE ON A BLUE PALETTE, published by BOA Editions Ltd. in April 2024.
Poetry Reading at Artbook @ Hauser&Wirth LA Bookstore
RVSP for the event at artbookstores.com.
79th Ceramic Annual Lecture, Conversation, Performance: Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander, Jasmine Baetz, and Lynne Thompson
In collaboration with Scripps Presents, the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery is excited to celebrate the 79th Scripps College Ceramic Annual.
Poetry Lab Sunday Series Workshop
Visiting Artist workshops are a combination of craft talk and generative writing workshop. While there is no critique in these sessions, you will have an opportunity to share your newly generated work by reading aloud to your classmates.
Phosphorescence Poetry Reading Series
This program is free of charge, but participants must register in advance and donations are encouraged. Register here.
Produced by the Emily Dickinson Museum, the Phosphorescence Poetry Reading Series celebrates contemporary creativity that echoes Dickinson’s own revolutionary poetic voice. The Series features established and emerging poets whose work and backgrounds represent the diversity of the flourishing contemporary poetry scene.
Lummis Day Viva Poetry! Library Series
Join us for a lovely afternoon of poetry from a slate of poets, including current Los Angles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson.