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Spark Magazine Spring and Summer 2015

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Spark Magazine Spring and Summer 2015 humanities.org Humanities Washington sparks conversation and critical thinking using story as a catalyst, nurturing thoughtful and engaged communities across our state. SPRING/SUMMER 2015 Race, Place & Culture Think & Drink program inspires dialogue and new perspectives. ALSO INSIDE Profiles in Blindness • Page 12 | Washington State Poet Laureate • Page 15 | Talking Service for Veterans • Page 16 INSIDE From the Executive Director FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ............... 2-3 COVER STORY ............................................4-6 Musician and educator Antonio Davidson-Gómez reflects on THE POWER OF REFLECTION, the unwavering relevance of Race, Place & Culture. COVER STORY ............................................ 7-8 Guest editorial by Think & Drink speaker, Dr. Daudi Abe. LISTENING AND NEW PERSPECTIVES 5 QUESTIONS ...........................................8 -11 Speakers Bureau presenters Milt Priggee and David Fenner Humanities Washington Expands Its Program Reach to Veterans and discuss the free speech and cultural sensitivities debate sparked by the recent Charlie Hebdo tragedy. the Visually Impaired PROFILE ...................................................12-14 Jack Straw Cultural Center selected as inaugural Washington Stories Fund recipient. By Julie Ziegler | Humanities Washington executive director POET LAUREATE ......................................15-16 Elizabeth Austen shares highlights from a 15-stop, statewide tour spanning rural and urban settings. In 1964, when Lyndon B. Johnson signed threatens to create IN THE FIELD ............................................ 17-19 the National Foundation on the Arts and a generation with An introduction to Talking Service, a newly launched pilot the Humanities Act into law, the United limited awareness program for returning veterans. States was facing conflict at home and of the humanities. WHY THE HUMANITIES .......................... 20-21 Clearly, with many Journalist K.C Mehaffey profiles the Merc Playhouse “Burn” abroad, and people were captivated by production, and the depth of its meaning to nearby residents. dreams of scientific advancement. LBJ and current challenges CALENDAR .................................................. 22 leaders in Congress recognized that our mirroring those NEWS AND NOTES ..................................... 23 country was in great need of something to of the 1960s, we must strive to learn 2014 ANNUAL REPORT ........................... 24-28 soothe the collective soul, a counterbalance to the intense focus on science and new ways. As Doris DONOR REFLECTION .................................. 29 Sommer explains T. Andrew Wahl reflects on the power of story and giving back. technology. We needed opportunities for in her book The Work of Art in the World, ABOUT HUMANITIES WASHINGTON ..... 30-31 constructive dialogue in support of change, aesthetic experience can rekindle “love Cover photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto action and hope. for a world gone gray with habit.” I would Creative Direction by Karen Brandvick Baker Layout and Design by Tarsha Rockowitz Unfortunately, 50 years later we face many argue that humanistic inquiry can also Edited by George Abeyta & David Haldeman of the same issues. Race and social justice provide this. The opportunities that the SPARK is published semiannually by Humanities movements including #blacklivesmatter humanities provide give me hope. Washington, 1015 8th Ave. N., Suite B, Seattle, WA 98109. Founded in 1973, Humanities Washington is the state’s and #Ferguson are at the heart of news This issue’s theme serves to highlight flagship nonprofit for public humanities programming. headlines across the United States. We Opinions expressed in Spark are those of the authors and do Humanities Washington’s 2014 Think & not necessarily reflect the views of Humanities Washington, find ourselves involved in amorphous Drink program focus: Race, Place & Culture. its trustees or its staff. Spark is distributed free of charge via U.S. Mail and through a network of partner organizations conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere Events explored race in music, film throughout the state. For information about editorial content, that seem impossible to win. At the same and education, as well as the history of sponsorship opportunities or to be added to the Spark mailing list, contact the editor at [email protected] time an intense focus on STEM civil rights protests in our state. Across or 206.682.1770. Copyright © 2015 Humanities Washington, all rights reserved. SPRING/SUMMER 2015 “The arts and humanities define who we are as a people. That is their power – to remind us of what we each have to offer, and what we all have in common. To help us understand our history and imagine our future. To give us hope in the moments of struggle and to bring us together when nothing else will.” -First Lady Michelle Obama Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, U.S. Speaker Antonio Davidson-Gómez leads panelists in a Marine Corps, talks with a Marine, wounded in Operation lively Humanities Washington Think & Drink discussion Iraqi Freedom. | Photo by Tech. Sgt. Sean P. Houlihan on Race, Place & Culture. | Photo by Devin Kearns. Washington, people gathered and Thanks to the generosity of the Charles I hope you’ll join us at a program very discussed their personal experiences, and Lenore Hale Family we established soon and experience how the humanities and learned about other viewpoints – the Washington Stories Fund, which made remain as relevant to our world today as important steps toward moving together its inaugural grant this year to the Jack they did 50 years ago. Let’s turn a “world more productively as a community. Straw Cultural Center. As you’ll read on gone gray with habit” into one filled with Read more about these events from the page 12, Through the Light: Profiles in Blindness will opportunity, inspired by the humanities. perspectives of musician and educator afford visually impaired youth and adults Antonio Davidson-Gómez and Seattle the chance to meet, share their stories and With sincere appreciation, Central College professor Dr. Daudi Abe record them for a wider audience.” on pages 4-7. As a reminder, the most widespread This year, with a pilot grant from the opportunity to take part in a Humanities National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington program is through our Julie Ziegler, Executive Director we are excited to expand our work to Speakers Bureau. In January, a new yet another distinct group affected by roster of speakers began touring the state, recent events of the world: our returning sparking conversation on many of the veterans. Their need for understanding, topics I mentioned above. Learn about the hope and reconnection are palpable. In Muslim faith, theories behind political MORE ONLINE response, Humanities Washington is polarization, human rights in history and proud to offer them the opportunity to so much more. They are thought-provoking Sign up for Spark 5, our monthly participate in Talking Service, a reading and informative. Check out humanities.org e-newsletter: and discussion program. Read more about for more information on all speakers and humanities.org/signup this beginning on page 17. their upcoming appearances. SPRING/SUMMER 2015 SPARK { Humanities Washington Magazine 3 Cover Story Audience members listen and participate in lively Antonio Davidson-Gómez (left) with Think & Drink panel members Amanda Wilde and Daudi Abe. discussion about Race in Music. | Photos by Devin Kearns. Think & Drink programs are conversations about provocative topics held in pubs and tasting rooms around the state. Fall Think & Drink events addressed Race, Place & Culture as a theme in conversations about arts, RACE, PLACE education and civil rights. 2015-2016 Speakers Bureau presenter, educator and musician Antonio “Tony” & CULTURE Davidson-Gómez spoke at the events “From Al Jolson to Public Enemy: Race in Music” Think & Drink Recap, Featuring Tony Davidson-Gómez in Seattle and Tacoma (with Daudi Abe, Amanda Wilde, Tonya Mosley and Phyllis Fletcher) and “From Flamenco to Fandango: By Antonio Davidson-Gómez, as told to Spark Staff Race in Music” in Yakima (with Yesenia Hunter and Mike Faulk). Spark Magazine spoke with Davidson-Gómez about the Race, Place & Culture event series theme, why the theme remains powerful and how Think & Drink conversations varied across the state. 4 SPARK { Humanities Washington Magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2015 Humanities Washington: Why is Race, HW: How did the Think & Drink Place & Culture so powerful as a theme? events vary? Antonio “Tony” Davidson-Gómez: Race, Davidson-Gómez: Each community place and culture are always with us in the brought its own mix of age, ethnicity, ways we interpret and navigate the society experience and culture. Some settings around us. At times, the U.S. has relegated were more formal than others; some people issues of “race” to “racial minorities,” waited until the Q&A to speak up, while to “people of color,” as if each so-called in other locations we would get just two racial group exists in a vacuum apart from sentences in before the pretense of a “panel” others. That time is over. broke down into lively discussions. All Americans own the issues of race and Yakima had a great participatory vibe culture. We are a nation that is constant in which led to a wonderful music-making our ideals of equality and opportunity, yet session following the Think & Drink. we have always struggled to live out those Tacoma was very multi-generational,
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