wRites of Spring 2015

Broward College Hosts Annual Literary Event 'wRites of Spring'

Broward College’s three-day, annual literary festival “wRites of Spring” will take place from Tuesday, March 24 through Thursday, March 26.

The festival will include readings from American author Percival Everett, author of “I Am Not Sidney Poitier” and playwright, storyteller, essayist, and film and theater director Sabina Berman, author of “Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World.” The other events will primarily focus on the two works of Everett and Berman, and will include a film screening, as well as several faculty and student presentations focusing on the theme of satire.

The events are free and open to the public, and include:

That Doesn’t Make Sense: Exploring the Human Experience
Tuesday, March 24, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
Coral Springs Academic Center, 3500 N. University Drive, Coral Springs, Room 109

Students will facilitate a discussion exploring the human experiences of fictional characters Karen, from “Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World” and Temperance Brennan from “Bones,” who both find happiness in the senses rather than in fantasy. Students will discuss how this method shapes each of their lives and the people surrounding them. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

‘In the Heat of the Night’ Meets ‘I Am Not Sidney Poitier
Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

This event will include a viewing of the Oscar-winning film “In the Heat of the Night,” starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, which captures the late 1960’s shift in social change when people started taking stands against “the ignorance of judging people on the surface.” Following the film viewing, there will a critical analysis of the film and its connection to the Percival Everett novel, “I Am Not Sidney Poitier.”

Street Art, Community, and Satire: The Writing is on the Wall
Wednesday, March 25, 8 – 9:15 a.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

Students will present and discuss their encounters with local and global street art, exploring it in cultural context, and asking when and how street art becomes satire. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Open Mic: Dive into Satire
Wednesday, March 25, 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

All students, faculty, and staff will be invited to showcase their talent at this event. Participants will take the mic and share their rap, songs, instrumentation or spoken word pieces. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

I Don’t Think I Get It: Parody as a Social and Media Critique
Wednesday, March 25, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

This round table discussion will analyze the use of parody in a variety of media types and will focus on discussing how each text works as effective social critique. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Author Reading: Percival Everett
Wednesday, March 25, 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

Award-winning author Percival Everett will read from his novel “I Am Not Sidney Poitier,” and a Q&A will follow. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Travel Beyond the Obvious
Thursday, March 26, 8 a.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

Is that commercial really about toilet paper? Is that song really about shopping in a thrift shop? This discussion will examine various mediums in popular culture and look beyond the satire to see the “real” message. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

A Jellyfish Saved My Life: Speciesism and Satire
Thursday, March 26, 9:30 a.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

This presentation will debate the issue of speciesism, using references to Sabina Berman’s novel, “Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World,” and fragments from documentaries, including “Speciesism: The Movie” and “First Person: A Stairway to Heaven” – which is about the autist savant Temple Grandin, who designed most of today’s humane livestock handling facilities in the US. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Driving Into the Heart of Satire
Thursday, March 26, 11 a.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

Everyday life is full of hypocrisy and unrealistic expectations. Broward College Assistant Professor of English Ana Cowo will analyze widely held assumptions, and challenge their practicality and validity. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Author Reading: Sabina Berman
Thursday, March 26, 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, Omni Auditorium

Author Sabina Berman will read from her novel “Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World,” and a Q&A will follow. For more information, contact Karen Parker at 954-201-2381 or kparker@broward.edu.

Visit our Facebook event page.