Lectures
In our mission to enrich lives, Mid-Columbia Libraries partners with organizations and individuals to bring thought-provoking, timely, and culturally relevant topics of interest to our community. Lectures are free and open to the public.
Wed, Apr 12th 7:00pm
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Explore the depth and significance of African culture, from its communal philosophies to its lively song and dance. In this interactive talk—part presentation and part performance—artist Afua Kouyaté shares pieces of African culture and folkloric traditions like the Nguzo Saba, or “seven principles,” of Kwanzaa, which include values like umoja (unity), ujima (collective responsibility), and nia (purpose).
Using the seven principles as a framework, Kouyaté tells the story of her life and of Africa’s rich culture to inspire you to root deeper through your own culture. In this talk, infused with cultural artifacts, music, and dance, Kouyaté brings people together through the sharing and celebration of cultural arts and traditions.
Afua Kouyaté (she/her) is a performing and teaching artist who specializes in cultural arts leadership with an emphasis on therapeutic engagement. She is the co-founder of Kouyaté Arts, an organization dedicated to the arts, music, dance, culture, and life of the people of West Africa. As the executive director of Adefua Cultural Education Workshop, she is dedicated to community and viewed as a leader in the cultural arts sector.
This lecture is presented for free on Zoom. Click here to register and join.
Thu, Jun 15th 7:00pm
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Our life stories are a means for connection—a tender offering in a troubled era. Part reportage and part reflection, personal essays can reveal hidden truths about ourselves, our families, and our societies.
In this interactive and generative writing workshop, Kristen Millares Young will help participants tell their own stories. Available in English and Spanish, each hourlong session will begin with a one-page reading to inspire group discussion, followed by timed prompts that guide individual writing sessions. By weaving together community narratives, we can craft a vision for our future that includes hope and the capacity for unexpected change.
Kristen Millares Young (she/her) is a prize-winning journalist, essayist, and teacher. Named a Paris Review staff pick, her novel Subduction was a finalist for Foreword Indies Book of the Year and two International Latino Book Awards. The editor of Seismic and a former Prose Writer-in-Residence at Hugo House, Young was the New York Times researcher for “Snow Fall,” which won a Pulitzer Prize.
Young lives in Seattle.
Please note that this is an in-person event. As a precaution against the continued threat of COVID-19, the host site agrees to follow all local, state, and federal safety guidelines for public gatherings.