University of Wyoming hosts Pink Prom Nov. 2 in Union Ballroom

From a UW press release:

Friday Night Fever, Spectrum, and ASUW are co-sponsoring a Pink Prom at 8 p.m. on Friday Nov. 2, in the Union Ballroom.

Pink Proms have the purpose of creating a welcoming atmosphere for the GLBTQ community who may have not had a friendly experience at high school proms. The dance will be themed as a fall festival prom and will last until midnight.

Additionally the movie “The Campaign,” staring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, will be showing in the Union Family Room at 6:30, 9:00, and 11:30 p.m.

For more information on the Friday Night Fever events please visit www.uwyo.edu/cac. Information about Spectrum can be found at uwacadweb.uwyo.edu. Information regarding ASUW can be found at www.uwyo.edu.

This event is sponsored by Friday Night Fever, Spectrum and ASUW. Individuals needing assistance to attend this event should contact the Campus Activities Center at (307) 766-6340.

"Developing Multicultural Literacy" Oct. 3 at UW

Cooper Center for Creative Arts screens documentary "Adapting the Rules" Sept. 20-22

Ali Grossman’s documentary film, “Adapting the Rules,” will be screened at the Cooper Center for Creative Arts at Ark Regional Services, 1174 N. Fourth in Laramie today through Saturday, Sept. 20-22. Doors open each night at 6:30 p.m., followed by the screening at 7 p.m. A panel discussion and reception will follow after the documentary. Admission is free.

Here's a snippet about the film from the Laramie Boomerang:

For years, Director Kayc DeMaranville said she had wanted to provide Laramie residents a backstage pass to the creative process at work in productions at the Cooper Center.

“We’ve always said how, if we could just sell tickets to the backstage process, that would be so interesting to see,” she said. “So we decided to film a documentary. Once we had the OK, the grant from the Wyoming Humanities Council, it was after that we decided the ‘Elephant Man’ was the right show, the right process, the right group of people to see this project through.”

The documentary offers a unique and compelling insight into the creative process of all who worked on the “Elephant Man” last year, DeMaranville said.

Flores De Colores dance troupe brings back awards from Las Vegas competition



This display ad from Cheyenne dance troupe Flores De Colores recently appeared in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. The group won a number of awards at a dance competition in Las Vegas. Flores De Colores is on the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster.

Cheyenne NAACP dinner features dramatic presentation of "Manservant York" of the Lewis & Clark expedition

‘Post 9/11’ film, talk set Aug. 10 in Cody

‘Post 9/11’ film, talk set Friday in Cody - Cody Enterprise:

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is hosting a film showing and panel discussion at Wynona Thompson Auditorium on Friday.

The event is part of the two-day Pilgrimage Event for the center. The film begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public “Ken Watanabe’s America: Japanese Americans and Post 9/11 America” will be followed by a panel discussion with former congressman and Transporation Secretary Norman Mineta, retired senator Al Simpson, former head of the Japanese American Citizens League Floyd Mori, board chair of Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Shirley Ann Higuchi, and vice-chair Doug Nelson. Board member Eric Muller will moderate the panel discussion.

--clip--

“People will have an opportunity to ask questions and interact with the panel because we’re not here to lecture people – we’re here to have a discussion and learn from one another,” he said.

Mineta was secretary of transportation under George W. Bush during the Sept. 11 attacks. Leger said Mineta’s experience as an internee at the Heart Mountain camp influenced his decisions during the difficult days after the attacks.

“He has many interesting things to say about that time and the pressures,” Leger said.

Juneteenth celebration set for June 16 in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Park in Cheyenne

The annual Juneteenth celebration will take place on Saturday, June 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Park in Cheyenne. Speakers include Mayor Rick Kaysen, Wyoming State Rep. Jim Byrd and Cheyenne NAACP President Elder Rodney McDowell. Performances throughout the day by DJ Riley Jeleneic, singer/songwriter Brandon Mucklow, Flores De Colores, singers/dancers Rashinda Calloway and Maricruz, and poet Stephen Stinger with Dr. James Peebles on the bongos. The Excel Perry 3on3 Basketball Tournament goes all day. Food vendors and informational booths will be located throughout the park. FMI: http://www.naacpcheyenne.org/meetings-and-events

Anti-racist author and educator Tim Wise is keynote speaker for 16th annual UW Shepard Symposium

From a UW press release:

Tim Wise, anti-racist essayist, author and educator, is the keynote speaker Wednesday, March 28, for the University of Wyoming's 16th annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice. Wise will speak from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. "Identities: Dismantling the Boxes" is the theme of this year's Shepard Symposium, which runs March 28-31.

Wise, who is among the nation's most prominent anti-racist writers and educators, has been called "one of the most brilliant, articulate and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation," by best-selling author and Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson.

Wise is the author of six books, including the highly acclaimed memoir, "Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White"; an essay collection, "Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama"; and his recent book, "Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority."

In 1997, former UW College of Education faculty members Omawale Akintunde and Margaret Cooney organized the first symposium, then called "The Symposium for the Eradication of Social Inequality." Since then, the symposium has evolved into a major national conference that engages participants in discussion and analyses of strategies and actions that can eliminate social inequality.

Honoring the work of the Shepard family and the memory of their son, Matthew Shepard, a UW student and social activist who was murdered in 1998, the symposium's name was changed in 2002. That spring, the Shepard Symposium received funding from an anonymous endowment given to UW to pursue social justice activities throughout the campus.

The symposium is a living reminder of the need for information and dialogue about social justice concerns in America and beyond.

"We want people to deconstruct and interrupt the ways in which proscriptive identities are forced upon members of marginalized groups by society," says Chair Angela Jaime in explaining the latest theme for the symposium. "Specifically, we hope that attendees will critically examine the ways in which society forces people to identify with certain membership groups."

Various presentations will be made during the symposium. Highlights include:

Beth Loffreda, UW Department of English associate professor, will present the plenary speech, "The Consequences of Identity," at the noon luncheon Thursday, March 29, in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. She is the author of "Losing Matt Shepard."

Bridget Kisling, a junior music therapy and psychology student at Anna Maria College (Paxton, Mass.), will use a life-size version of the 1950s Barbie doll to shed light on how the media plays a significant role in shaping a young girl's sense of body image. Her presentation is Friday, March 30, 1:45-3 p.m., in the Wyoming Union Big Horn Room.

An endnote student panel discussion, "Boxed In," will be presented Friday, March 30, at 11:30 a.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. UW students will discuss complex and misunderstood identities.

The second annual Shepard Symposium Friday Night Party is from 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. at the Library Bar and Grill. All proceeds benefit the recognized student organizations that have contributed time and efforts to the Shepard Symposium. Tickets are $5 at the door or $4 in advance, and can be purchased at the symposium.

For more information about the Shepard Symposium, visit the website at http://www.shepardsymposium.org/, or contact Jaime at (307) 766-3991 or email jaimea@uwyo.edu.

Photo: Tim Wise will be the keynote speaker for the 16th annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice.

Gillette's April 21 Prairie Wind Culture Festival celebrates the region's "rich cultural diversity"

The Prairie Wind Culture Festival (PWCF) will take place in Gillette on Saturday, April 21. Sponsors include the Wyoming Arts Council.

Here's a description from the web site:

PWCF was started in 2004. It is an all volunteer, non-profit, secular organization with one goal: to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that exists in northeastern Wyoming.

The PWCF is an annual Festival that is free and open to the public. As with any culture, the three main elements of the Festival are food, music and art! This unique event brings people together to celebrate their differences while discovering the many ways in which we are all related.

By creating an environment where people can be proud of who they are and that teaches respect for all people, we hope to strengthen our community and avoid cultural divisions.

"CSI: NY" star Hill Harper is keynote speaker for Martin Luther King Jr./Days of Dialogue at UW Jan. 19

Film, television and stage actor Hill Harper is the keynote speaker for the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr./Days of Dialogue at the University of Wyoming.

Best known for his current role as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes in the hit CBS drama series, "CSI: NY," Hill will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, in the Arts and Sciences auditorium. His presentation is free and open to the public.

The theme for the 11th MLK/DOD, Jan. 16-20, is "Building Unity Through Community: Local to Global."

UW community members honor the continuing impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his life and ideals through this celebration. The week of activities renews UW's commitment to making the campus and Wyoming a more welcoming and empowering place for people from different backgrounds, heritages, orientations or abilities, say co-chairs Kate Steiner, UW interim assistant dean of students, and Aimee Glocke, African-American Diaspora Studies visiting assistant professor.

An honors graduate from Brown University and recipient of graduate degrees in both law and public administration from Harvard, Harper has appeared in many independent and international films and television programs.

In February 2005, Harper starred in the HBO movie "Lackawanna Blues," which was based on the critically acclaimed stage play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The film, fueled by rhythm and blues, won the Image Award in 2006 for "Outstanding TV Movie" and the Emmy Award in 2005 for "Outstanding Casting in a Movie."

As a television actor, Harper has had numerous guest-starring roles. He recently appeared on recurring episodes of Showtime's "Soul Food" and appeared on HBO's "The Sopranos." He also starred in the CBS mini-series "Mama Flora's Family" and the UPN Network comedy/drama "Live Shot." Among other guest appearances were "ER," "NYPD Blue," "Murder One," and "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

Harper's stage credits include appearances in off-Broadway productions of "Your Handsome Captain," "Freeman," and David Mamet's "American Buffalo." He completed a starring run of Jessica Hagedorn's "Dogeaters" at New York's Joseph Papp Public Theatre. Harper is a full-time member of Boston Black Folk's Theater Company, one of the nation's oldest and most respected African-American traveling theater troupes.

He also has appeared in two Spike Lee movies "Get on the Bus" and "He Got Game," and more recently "For Colored Girls." Harper volunteers for organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters in Los Angeles and speaks to youth in public schools about the values of a good education. He was selected as one of People magazine's "Sexiest Men Alive" (2004).

One of the main events of the annual MLD/DOD is the MLK march. Beginning at the Albany County Courthouse at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, participants will march to the Wyoming Union where the Willena Stanford Supper begins at 4:45 p.m. in the ballroom.

Most events are free and open to the public. Panel discussions, a photo exhibition, speakers and workshops are scheduled throughout the week. MLK/DOD concludes Friday, Jan. 20, with the Lupe Fiasco concert at 8:30 p.m. in the Arts and Sciences auditorium. Tickets can be purchased at the Wyoming Union information desk, the Fine Arts box office and online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts .

For a complete list of events, visit the MLK/DOD website at http://mlkdod.wordpress.com/ or follow updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/317648238255013/ .

Photo: Film, television and stage actor Hill Harper is the keynote speaker for the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr./Days of Dialogue at the University of Wyoming.

Hear stories of Wyoming ethnic traditions July 14 at Laramie County Public Library

One World, Wyoming Stories

When: Thursday, July 14, 7– 8:30 p.m.

Where: Laramie County Library Cheyenne (map)

Description: Annie Hatch, Wyoming Arts Council Folk & Traditional Arts Specialist, and Andrea Graham, Folklorist with the University of Wyoming American Studies Program, will share stories about a variety of ethnic traditions in Wyoming. They’ll also encourage participants to share their own stories. This is held in conjunction with the “One World, Wyoming Stories,” exhibit in the library through August 16. (Adults, Sunflower Room, 3rd floor)

Voices of Freedom/Faces of Freedom features community portraits at July 4's Music in the Hole

Roseneide G, Providencia, Brazil

Tedx Jackson Hole has joined the global art project initiated by TEDPrize winner, the French street artist and photographer JR, and you are invited to be part of the fun! In partnership with the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Wyoming Humanities Council we have launched Voices of Freedom/Faces of Freedom.

There are three elements:

1. During GTMF’s Music in the Hole Celebration on the Fourth of July, personal statements about the meaning of Freedom will be incorporated into one of the pieces of music

2. A large photo installation featuring poster-size portraits of the will be exhibited (location TBD) outside as a public art installation during July

3. Photos and personal statements will be uploaded as part of TED Prize-winner JR’s Global “Inside Out” art project. Check out www.insideoutproject.net to browse what has already been uploaded and see for yourself what we have in mind!

You can participate in any and all of this. We would like at least 100 and would welcome 1,000! Here is what you would need to do:

Answer the question “What does Freedom mean to you?” Define it any way you wish—it is a big notion—and send it to us. We will arrange to take your portrait and will take care of the rest. We will have a photo booth at Music in the Hole in partnership with the Wyoming Humanities Council’s “Rumination Wheel,” as well.

Please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested. If you are involved with a group or organization that would like to participate en masse, that is welcomed, too!

FMI: lisa@jacksonholefilmfest.org,juliekling@gmail.com, shelly@gtmf.org, or emydigrappa@gmail.com

BBHC exhibit of arts & crafts from Heart Mtn. Internment Camp opens June 1

View of Heart Mountain Relocation Center barracks, 1942. Photo by Jack Richard. Jack Richard Collection. 

Beauty Behind Barbed Wire: Arts and Crafts from the  Heart Mountain Internment Camp

June 1-September 6, 2011, Cody Firearms Museum Breezeway, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody

A small exhibit showcasing the craftsmanship of the Japanese-American internees confined at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp during the years 1942-1945 will be on display at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center during this 2011 summer. The exhibit will feature twenty-four arts and crafts objects on loan to the Historical Center from the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation along with another three items from other lenders. Wood carvings, jewelry, needlework, oil paintings, and a doll are among the artifacts in the exhibit.

Through this exhibit the Historical Center aims to call the attention of its visitors to the opening of the Interpretive Learning Center at Heart Mountain on August 20, as well as to honor the artisans who made these incredible pieces. The skill and artistry involved in crafting these objects is outstanding, and the exhibit is certain to be informative and enlightening.

UW Shepard Symposium presents "A Slice of Rice, Frijoles and Beans" April 7

The theme for this year’s Shepard Symposium on Social Justice at the University of Wyoming in Laramie is “CREATE: Activism Toward Social Justice.”

The Shepard Symposium entertainment will be provided by "A Slice of Rice, Frijoles and Greens," from 8:30-10 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in the UW Education auditorium.

"A Slice of Rice, Frijoles and Greens" is a multicultural extravaganza that brings together African American, Latina and Asian American artists for a program of spoken word, music, movement and song. The artists open windows into their own worlds through personal tales. Though each "slice" may be different, "rice, frijoles and greens" makes a statement that entertains as it enlightens, taking audiences beyond cultural borders.

Paulina Sahagun performs excerpts from "Nahuatl - Now What?" her Hi-Tech Aztec-in-Gringolandia Self-help Extravaganza. From the mercado in Guadalajara to bad-hair days in LA, there is only one question: Does she know how to make tortillas? 

Dan Kwong performs "Birth Interview" and "Song for Grandpa," stories of growing up in Los Angeles in a Model Minority family gone haywire. 

Chic Street Man, singer/songwriter and blues guitarist, brings it all home with his acoustic ballads, funky rhythms and jazzy upbeat originals.

For a complete agenda for the symposium, visit the Shepard Symposium website at http://outreach.uwyo.edu/conferences/justice/ .

CWC Intertribal Education and Community Center dedicated today in Riverton

From a UW press release:

Central Wyoming College officially dedicated and celebrated the opening of the Intertribal Education and Community Center at a ceremony (today) Friday, March 25 in Riverton.

After a decade of planning and fundraising, the 16,713-square foot facility, which opened for classes and community gatherings last October, was officially dedicated during a ceremony on the plaza in front of the building.

The Intertribal Center has a multipurpose function. In addition to being an educational facility for both CWC and the University of Wyoming, it serves as a venue for conferences, workshops and meetings. It is also a highly visible landmark that celebrates the cultural diversity of the area, said CWC President Jo Anne McFarland.

U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, who obtained federal appropriations that allowed CWC to proceed with construction in 2009, was the special guest. His talk was followed by remarks from UW Provost Myron Allen, Fremont County representatives Del McOmie and Patrick Goggles, as well as tribal and college officials.

Eastern Shoshone tribal member Ann Abeyta performed a hoop dance accompanied by a drum group. The ceremony was preceded with an informal feast in the Wind River Room and followed by tours of the building.

Funds for the facility came from multiple sources, including state and federal appropriations and private donations. CWC also has received support from the Northern Arapaho, Eastern Shoshone and the Shakopee Mdewankanton Sioux tribes.

UW contributed $1.1 million toward the center's construction to make its Fremont County Outreach Center more visible and accessible.

"This stunning facility represents a truly innovative relationship among Central Wyoming College, UW, and Wyoming's American Indian communities. It's a win-win-win scenario," says Allen. "The intertribal center makes every leader in higher education proud, and UW President Tom Buchanan and CWC President Jo Anne McFarland stand with the best. The students are Wyoming's, and they're our best hope for the future."

Photo: The Intertribal Education and Community Center at Central Wyoming College was dedicated Friday. In addition to being an educational facility for both CWC and the University of Wyoming, it serves as a venue for conferences, workshops and meetings. (CWC Photo)

Call for entries: VSA & VW exhibition program

VSA & VOLKSWAGEN: EXHIBITION PROGRAM
http://vsarts.org/x5796.xml
Deadline: June 10, 2011. VSA, a program of the Kennedy Center, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., seek submissions from emerging artists with disabilities ages 16–25 for Momentum, a national juried art exhibition on display at the Smithsonian Institution during fall 2011. Fifteen finalists will be selected and will share $60,000 in cash awards.

Photographer and author Peggy Kelsey reports on the "Afghan Women's Project"

Gulalai, from the "Afghan Women's Project" 

From a Casper College press release:

Photographer and author Peggy Kesley will be at Casper College on Monday, March 28 to speak on the women of Afghanistan.

"Afghan Women's Project: Ten Years Later, the Follow Up" will feature a presentation by Kelsey as well as her photography of the Afghan women she interviewed.

"This is a perspective that seldom makes western mainstream news. Many important issues surrounding (Afghanistan) have been conflated to a simplistic view of their problems and therefore to simplistic solutions based on a western perspective. I believe that a more nuanced view of Afghanistan is transferable to other issues in other places. I believe that getting to know real people (by meeting them in person or vicariously) in one 'foreign' country conveys a broader understanding of people everywhere and the issues they face. I believe that awareness of and interest in people 'different from us' leads us to see our common humanity and enriches our lives," said Kelsey.

"If I have any agenda or message it is this: The situation for Afghans and specifically Afghan women may deteriorate during the coming years. But we, like the Afghans already do, must take a long-term view. What can be done now to secure the futures of the next generation for their children? There is one answer that doesn't depend on international politics and that is education, specifically rural education.

Kelsey will give three presentations on March 28: one at 10 a.m., one at 1 p.m. and one at 7 p.m., all in the Strausner Student Center, Room 217. The 7 p.m. presentation will be followed by a reception in Kelsey's honor. All presentations are free and open to the public.

The Afghan Women's Project: Ten Years Later, the Follow Up" photography exhibit and presentation are sponsored by Casper College, the Casper College Gender Studies Department, the Casper College Addictionology Department, the University of Wyoming Outreach School,and the Wyoming Humanities Council.

Shepard Symposium marks 15th year with staged reading of "Beyond Brokeback"

The 15th Annual SHEPARD SYMPOSIUM ON SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMEMORATES the 5th ANNIVERSARY OF BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN WITH STAGED READING OF BEYOND BROKEBACK IN LARAMIE on April 8.

Assistant Professor John J. O'Hagan of The University of Wyoming Department of Theater and Dance will direct a one hour staged reading of Beyond Brokeback for the 15th Annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice on Friday, April 8, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Union Ballroom of the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

Beyond Brokeback was adapted for the stage by Cody, Wyoming's, Gregory Hinton from the book Beyond Brokeback: Impact of a Film written by Members of the Ultimate Brokeback Forum, a web community which formed in the aftermath of the release of the award-winning film, Brokeback Mountain. The story was written by Wyoming author Annie Proulx. It was first published in The New Yorker and was in her book Close Range: Wyoming Stories.

The Forum, comprised of people from all walks of life -- country, city, gay, straight, men, women, young, old -- received over 500,000 posts in the first year. Excerpts of essays, poetry and music inspired by the film will be presented, including the song "Meet Me on the Mountain," written by noted composer Shawn Kirchner.

Beyond Brokeback was originally performed at the Autry National Center Museum of the American West in Los Angeles on December 11, 2010, in commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of Ang Lee's seminal western film, Brokeback Mountain.

The event is free but registration is required.

See http://www.shepardsymposium.org/ for more details.

Speakers for the symposium include Cherrie Moraga, John Corvino, Mary Cowhey, and A Slice of Rice, Frijoles, and Greens.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet Feb. 18-19 in Jackson

Dancers' Workshop presents the Alonzo King LINES Ballet on Feb 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m., in the Center for the Arts Theater in Jackson, 

Reserved seating: Orchestra $55, Balcony $55-$45, Students $20

Click here for Friday, February 18, 2011 7:30 p.m. performance

Click here for Saturday, February 19, 2011 7:30 p.m. performance

Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to Jackson with Scheherazade - a timeless tale of "1,001 Nights" interpreted through Alonzo King's unique artistic lens. This work was originally commissioned by the Monaco Dance Forum to inaugurate the Centenary of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. A new score by tabla master Zakir Hussain re-interprets the original music by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Alonzo King is recognized as one of the fifty outstanding artists in American by the United States Artists organization. He is noted for his collaborations with other cutting-edge composers, musicians and visual artists.

For more information on Alonzo King's Lines Ballet, click here.

Call for entries: The Faces of Migration Student Short Film Competition

The Filmmaking Club and the Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA are proud to present this year's The Faces of Migration Student Short Film Competition held on Sunday, April 10. We seek student submissions from across the world that creatively reference the issue of migration.

The Grand Prize is $1000 USD. Second Prize receives $500 USD and Third receives $250 USD. In addition, all selections will be screened throughout the Faces of Migration Festival prior to the feature length movies. Submission deadline is March 20th. Please visit www.cmu.edu/faces for more information.

The student portion of The Faces of Migration International Film Festival has pushed its deadline back to March 20.