I'll Always Be Fascinated By the Conversations We Have About Writing, Especially with Professionals in Other Disciplines.

The Core Writing program at Fairfield, under the leadership of Dr. Kim Gunter, invited panelists from across campus to do a reading for faculty and undergraduate students for a dialogue on writing across the disciplines and within a discipline. It's the first I've experienced at Fairfield University and hearing from my colleagues was inspiring and refreshing: pieces on diabetes, breast-feeding, trans-languaging, wearing flannel shirt, mosquitos, and presidential legitimacy were share. I shared work on a  chapter I've written for an upcoming book on literature for relocated-refugee youth and the memoir of actor, UNCHR ambassador, basketball player, and now author, Ger Duany. 

I commented to students that if I was in an audience as a freshman, I'd likely ask, "What are these people talking about," sharing that this is what four years of college is about - to find a voice and passion worthy of writing about, no matter what profession is chosen. You'll always be writing, because that is how we communicate, especially in digital spaces." I shared that I write to process, and named this is the 17th year capturing my thinking in the form of a blog. 

What is interesting to me, though, is the importance of knowing multiple languages and how little are country does to prepare kids for a multilingual world. Traveling, you realize that speaking (and writing) in many languages is empowerment. I was thrilled that Dr. Laura Gasca Jimenez read her work in Spanish and wish I had more ability to translate as she spoke. The program put our words to the screen, and I decoded some of what she was saying, but the intelligence was obvious and I realized I'm missing out (making me thinking of English language learners in our schools). What joy to celebrate the beauty of writing across all languages.

I called yesterday two panels and a funeral, having attended a wake of a friend's brother before I head home for the day.

Always happy to have the work of CWP-Fairfield seen and valued at Fairfield University and was overjoyed to be included in the program (although none of us were prepared for the temperatures rising in rooms where they're already preparing for winter. Phew. It got warm.