Since I’ve been blogging a bit about bridging and community work, it’s worth mentioning that I’ll be hosting this weekend’s emerging writers’ panel at SFPL. I can’t gauge how much interest there is in this panel, as I’ve been too close to it to see what other people outside my immediate circle think. I do remember this panel’s origins as being some of the MFA Industrial Complex discussion about paying for consulting services for assistance in the MFA application process, who accesses these services, who benefits from these services.
To restate some of what I’ve previously blogged: I still believe no one absolutely needs the MFA degree in order to write or become a writer or author. I do not believe in the MFA as the thing that validates a writer to call herself a writer. I do not believe the MFA degree gives you the keys to any kingdom.
I do believe in the MFA program as one of many strategies a writer can use to hone her craft, to read and write beyond her current frame of reference, to develop critical language, to find critical readers of her work in progress. I also believe these can be found elsewhere — in writing circles, in community arts workshops, in community college writing courses. I believe that as writers we must try to do everything we can to fight off stagnation, to thrive and grow. I believe in surrounding ourselves with those critical readers instead of enablers and people with soft expectations for our work.
That said, below is the info for this weekend’s panel. I hope to see some of you there.
PAWA (Philippine American Writers and Artists) & Achiote Press Presents: Community & Academic Writing Programs: A Panel for Emerging Writers
When: 12/06/2009, 2 pm
Where: San Francisco Public Library, Latino Room B (lower level), 100 Larkin at Grove
Free and Open to the public, refreshments will be provided
The California Bay Area houses a diverse array of writing programs, both community-based and academic. For this event, an exciting panel of writers will provide information to emerging writers of color who are thinking of applying to various writing programs and need some guidance. We believe it’s so valuable for writers of color who have gone through community based writing programs and MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) programs to share their knowledge and experiences with others. A question and answer session will follow.
Some questions that will be discussed: Why did you decide to attend a community based writing workshop and/or an MFA program? How did you decide on where to apply? Why did you attend the program you attended? What was the structure of your program? What were the positive and negative aspects of your program?
Panelists include:
Rashaan Alexis Meneses (St Mary’s, Fiction MFA)
Claire Light (San Francisco State University, Fiction MFA)
Vickie Vertiz (VONA, KSW IWL)
Craig Santos Perez (University of San Francisco, Poetry MFA)
Oscar Bermeo (VONA, KSW IWL, louderArts)
Vanessa Huang (VONA, KSW, Kundiman)
