Hi friends: hear Armenian poetry, contribute to a creative conversation of what it means to live in “diversity”, and join a continuing workshop. Shout outs included, too.
Classic and Contemporary Poets Meet at the Library
Thee Zohrab Center is an invaluable resource for Armenian writers. With poets and friends Alan Semerdjian and Lola Koundakjian, I’ll be reading a story of frustrated love in post-Soviet Armenia, inspired by the library’s copy of Hovhannes Toumanian’s tragic poem, Anoush.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23 • 7:00PM
Zohrab Center at St. Vartan’s Cathedral
630 2nd Ave (at the corner of 34th Street) Manhattan
Donation $5. Free for students with ID. #ZICPoetry
www.zohrabcenter.org • (212) 686-0710
The Zohrab Center’s Fall schedule is here.
Beyond “Diversity”
a conversation
among artists, activists and neighbors
about the dreams, divisions and direction
of Jackson Heights
Saturday October 25
5 – 7 pm
Queens Pride House
76-11 37th Ave #206,
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
718 429-5309
https://www.facebook.com/events/521226961354334/
FREE!
featuring images & stories by Nancy Agabian; Krystal Banzon & Claudia Narvaez-Meza; Beatriz Gil & Carlos Martinez of Hibridos Collective; Pauline Park & Amy Paul
Beyond “Diversity” will feature stories & visual presentations by local artists in order to create a dialogue with residents about the value of diversity in Jackson Heights. With an eye toward future collaboration and grassroots action, this free event welcomes everyone — students, seniors, parents, workers, activists, artists, etc. — to express their experiences, ideas and dreams. More info here.
This is the public component of an individual artist’s grant I received to write a series of political personal essays grounded in my life in Queens.
Beyond “Diversity” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Community Writing Exercise Studio
There’s still time to drop in and write with us: just email me the day you want to come.
Tuesday nights, 6:00 – 7:15 pm
through December 9
in Jackson Heights, Queens
Sliding scale: $5 – $25/session.
The Community Writing Exercise Studio is geared for all writers, from beginning to advanced, to flex their creativity and to explore issues of place, community and identity. We’ll do one or two writing exercises per night, based on short texts and interactive prompts, which can be adapted for poetry or prose. More info here.
Upcoming topics:
Oct 7: Character & life experience — a first or last time
Oct 21: Point of View — altering a frame of reference
Oct 28: place and setting — the sixth sense
Nov 4: the Specific & the Universal — zoom in and zoom out.
To register: Please email nancyagabian@yahoo.com at least 48 hours in advance of your first session and 1) describe your experience with writing and 2) identify the rate that you can pay.
Shout Outs
Artist and writer Sukjong Hong has been making vibrant creative spaces for the vital stories of beauty workers in Queens to be told, in her series, Beauty in her Own Words. Check out her next writing workshop on Friday, October 10, at the Woodside branch of the Queens Public Library.
Visiting artist by way of San Francisco, Sao Paolo, Berlin and Marseilles, the multi-faceted and multi-talented Sherwood Chen will teach a Body Weather movement workshop at LEIMAY Ludus Labs at the Cave, October 17-19. Info here.
The Five Boro Story Project continues its community-oriented, place-based, all-around-wonderful storytelling series “Queens Documented” at Terraza 7 in Elmhurst, October 19, 6 pm. More info here.