FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pat Harris
(805) 440-4426
Award-Winning Poet-Author-Activist Nikki Giovanni
To Lead 'Slam' at Cal Poly April 8
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Poet and writer Nikki Giovanni, an activist on the
national scene for three decades, will lead a public "poetry slam"
at
Cal Poly April 8 as part of the University’s "Provocative Perspectives"
series.
Joining Giovanni in the slam will be local poets and the 2003 Orange
County Grand Poetry Slam champion, who goes by the designation RAC. The
slam, a competition that emphasizes both writing and performance, will
begin at 7 p.m. in the main lounge of Yosemite Residence Hall on Grand
Avenue on campus. The public is invited to the free event, which is
sponsored by the university’s Multicultural Center.
Prolific in almost every form of the written word, Giovanni is the
author of "Racism 101," a collection of essays on her observations
as an
educator, writer and scholar-activist. She is also the author of more
than 14 volumes of poetry. The most recent, "The Collected Poetry
of
Nikki Giovanni," was published last year. She is a professor of English
and women’s studies at Virginia Tech.
Reviewers have described Giovanni’s topics as running the gamut
from the
environment to our reliance on manners and from sex and politics to love
among blacks, with special attention to all aspects of black womanhood.
She has been acclaimed as a major influence since her poems emerged
during the civil-rights and black arts movements of the 1960s.
"Nikki Giovanni is nothing if not provocative, and she will be a
great
capstone to our series this year,” said Cornel Morton, vice president
for student affairs and a sponsor of "Provocative Perspectives."
"She is
an outstanding poet and a stimulating and engaging speaker. We are
indeed fortunate to have her visit our campus."
As part of her visit to the campus, Giovanni will also address faculty
and staff members in a breakfast talk.
For more information on the evening’s activities, call the Multicultural
Center at 756-1405.
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