Humanities Washington speaker events in full swing

Free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, and more

WALLA WALLA-Through the Walla Walla Public Library, the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau talks are free and available to the public. The program compiles a roster of presenters who are professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others-all chosen not only for their expertise but their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Most recently, Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna builds awareness and appreciation of poetry-including the state's legacy of poetry-through public readings, workshops, lectures, and presentations.

Castro Luna fled war-torn El Salvador for the United States at the age of 14 with her family and went on to earn an MFA in poetry and an MA in urban planning. After working as a K-12 teacher, she became Seattle's first Civic Poet, a position appointed by the mayor. In that position, Castro Luna won acclaim for her Seattle Poetic Grid, an online interactive map showcasing poems about different locations around the city.

In her talk, hosted by Hagan Center for the Humanities at Spokane Community College, Castro Luna shares original writings that reflect on her background with contemporary concepts of death and addiction.

When it comes to war, there is no time for anything but surviving. In grieving the deaths of Monsignor Romero, assassinated during mass in 1980, and her local priest years later, Castro Luna notes, "time doesn't flow forward, it's really a spiral that we are caught in."

Castro Luna is serving as the poet laureate from 2018-2020. She is the author of the poetry chapbook This City and the collection Killing Marías. As the fifth poet laureate, she succeeds poets Tod Marshall (2016-2018), Elizabeth Austen (2014-2016), Kathleen Flenniken (2012–2014), and Sam Green (2007–2009).

The poet laureate program is sponsored by Humanities Washington and The Washington State Arts Commission/ArtsWA, with the support of Governor Jay Inslee.

Upcoming talks:

Washington on Wheels: Odd and Innovative Transportation Ideas from the Pacific Northwest

November 5, 7-8 p.m.

Author and broadcaster Harriet Baskas takes audiences on a tour of notable highlights of state transportation history, examining not just how we get around but why we travel and where we might be going next. Audiences will be invited to share family stories of migration, memories of first flights, and unforgettable car trips, and consider a future of autonomous cars and vacations in space.

Join the event at https://tinyurl.com/y5nhupjh.

All talks are free and open to the public, and each lasts about an hour. They are hosted through a wide range of organizations throughout Washington State. For more information on Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, visit their website at https://www.humanities.org/program/speakers-bureau/.

ONLINE: Civil Conversation in an Angry Age

November 5, 7-8 p.m.

By mapping the structure of how we converse and digging into the root causes of both civility and incivility, David E. Smith, Ph.D. explores how we can have meaningful, respectful conversations on notoriously difficult topics like politics, religion, and morality. In our increasingly polarized political environment, Smith provides participants with the tools needed to embark upon more thoughtful, fruitful discussions.

Join the event at https://tinyurl.com/yxblhfpf.

Who was Chief Seattle?

November 7, 1-2 p.m.

Chief Seattle wrote nothing down during his life, yet his words-both real and imagined-are known worldwide. The result is a man, made up of both historical and fictional aspects, from which conflicting messages can be gleaned.

David M. Buerge, a biographer and a historian to the Duwamish Tribe, Seattle's mother's people, spent more than 20 years exploring the man from various sources to reveal a leader of epic character. He was a warrior, an orator, a benefactor, and a visionary who helped found the city that bears his name, Seattle, the largest city in the world named after a Native American.

Buerge explores this complex figure to uncover how one man's story still shapes the city's identity. Join the event at https://tinyurl.com/y3vp6ygm.