Cave Canem and the NYU Creative Writing Program present a reading by Yusef Komunyakaa and other renowned poets and scholars, preceded by a day of events at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House. Co-presented with Cave Canem, co-sponsored with the PEN World Voices Festival. Free and open to the public.
Stay tuned for more special guests to be announced.
10-11:30 am
Morning Share: Stories, Lessons and Reflections from Working with Yusef Komunyakaa
NYU Lillian Vernon House, 58 West 10th Street, New York, NY
Former Students, mentees, friends and colleagues share brief reflections, stories and lessons from their time working with Yusef Komunyakaa with Brian Francis, Jerome Ellison Murphy, Soren Stockman, Hermine Pinson, Dante Micheaux, Sharon Olds and Nicole Sealey, among others.
12 – 1:30 pm
Love in the Time of War: Art as a Tool for Reflecting Violent Realities and a Strategy for Imagining Peace
NYU Lillian Vernon House, 58 West 10th Street, New York, NY
A panel of artists and activists discuss the intersection of war and the arts, and how art can be used both as a tool to reflect a violent reality and as a strategy for imagining peace with Kevin Young, Toi Derricotte, Javier Zamora and Tyehimba Jess, moderated by Maurice Decaul.
3 – 4:30 pm
How Deep the Heart Runs: Yusef Komunyakaa’s Former Students Read
NYU Lillian Vernon House, 58 West 10th Street, New York, NY
With DéLana R. A. Dameron, Alysia Nicole Harris, John Murillo, Rio Cortez, Ishion Hutchinson, Daria-Ann Martineau, Jenny Xie and Amanda Calderón, among others. Emceed by Dante Micheaux.
7 – 9:30 pm
Speaking Joy and Pain: A Tribute to Yusef Komunyakaa Culminating Reading
NYU Kimmel Center for University Life, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY
With music from Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars, opening readings from Hermine Pinson, Gregory Pardlo, Tyehimba Jess and Sharon Olds, and a feature presentation by Yusef Komunyakaa.
NYU Kimmel Center for University Life, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South
Co-presented with Cave Canem Foundation. Co-sponsored with the PEN World Voices Festival.
