LEARNING FROM JUNE JORDAN: A POETRY FOR THE PEOPLE CONVERSATION

On Monday February 28th, the Critical Conversations series will host an online poetry reading and conversation with two UC Berkeley alumni who had the privilege to study with June Jordan in the Poetry for the People Program: Samiya Bashir (Associate Professor of Creative Writing, Reed College) and Solmaz Sharif (Assistant Professor of English, Arizona State University). Professors Bashir and Sharif will read their work; share some of their favorite poems written by June Jordan; and then participate in a wide-ranging conversation about teaching, the P4P program, and Jordan’s pedagogical legacy moderated by UC Berkeley Associate Professor Chiyuma Elliott (African American Studies).

This year’s Critical Conversations series, Catching up with June: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of June Jordan, is organized as a celebration of the life and legacy of June Jordan, a gifted and prolific writer, a powerful activist, an innovative teacher and a longtime member of our Department. You can watch and share this semester’s recorded events on the Department of African American Studies Youtube channel: A Place of Rage, Skyrise: June Jordan’s Architectural Imaginary and Black Girlhood, Truth & Transformation. Information on upcoming Critical Conversations can be found here.

Speakers

Samiya Bashir

Solmaz Sharif

Chiyuma Elliott

Watch the recording on Youtube