Lectures and Talks

Speaking engagements may not make the best photo ops, but they are exciting in person! And we've had some amazing speaking engagements already and we're not even to the half-way point of the semester yet!
     Author Ellen Kushner gave a kick-off keynote for the summer filled with song and folklore. It set a magical setting for our summer to begin with. Julie Benbassat gave a great talk introducing her gallery show opening in our auditorium in the Visual Arts Center.
The Museum and our program catered the event and everyone hung out to celebrate. Here are Ashley Wolff (with Rufus), Mary Jane Begin, Julie Benbassat, and Lisa Fraustino. Mitali Perkins gave a fabulous talk on "JUST MAKING: Tips for Compassionate Creatives?" to celebrate her forthcoming book. It was followed by a very popular book signing that sold out! Ruth Sanderson, former Co-Director of our program, gave a talk on Character Creation in celebration of her newest books. Stephanie R. Toliver gave a talk on “Afrofuturism’s Answer to Armageddon: Black Author's Speculating in the Afterlife of Slavery.” And Rob Costello gave a great talk on Horror in Queer Children's Lit. And that's not all! More to come!