UnSilencing Anatomies: October 1—November 30, 2016
The GeoMap makes visible the various health, cultural, and arts spaces that are the "nerve centers," many of which are along the Tucson streetcar line, the main artery of the project. UnSilencing Anatomies will be hosted by over 20 sites throughout Tucson.
I'm very excited to be taking poetry off the page in a city-wide public installation called UnSilencing Anatomies with kick-off events October 1–7 in Tucson, Arizona. This isn't just an extraordinary week of readings, talks, performances, and exhibits hosted by Kore Press. What makes this unique is that we created a GeoMap with over 20 sites across Tucson in a public "tour" of spaces where the poetry, cultural centers, and health resources for cultural silences are made visible. Each site is hosting an excerpt of "Silent Anatomies" and invites visitors to share the silenced histories of their body by texting a photo and story to a crowdsourced map called Digital Milagros. Beyond this exhilarating week, a digital archive of stories and resources will emerge, that I hope will become tools for more open conversations about the body in a variety of communities and settings.
Exhibitions
Artwork from Silent Anatomies will be exhibited at the following venues:
University of Arizona Poetry Center: October 1—30
Tucson Chinese Cultural Center: October 1—November 30.
Events
Oct 1 | Sat | 5:30-7 pm
Reception & Meet-N-Greet with Author Monica Ong, Sosa-Carrillo- Freemont House, 151 S Granada.
Oct 3 | Mon | 2-4 pm
University class visits, Honor's College and College of Public Health (Health Disparities in Minority Populations) classes.
Oct 3 | Mon | 5:30 pm
Art Opening Reception, Monica Ong and Dr. Howard Eng will be at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, which is hosting artwork from Silent Anatomies, October 1–November 30.
Oct 5 | Wed | 6 pm
Author Talk/Scholar’s Panel, Drachman Hall, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona. Join authors, professors and scholars for a panel discussion and talks investigating the nuances surrounding “client-provider” relations.
Talk: Poetry as a Partner in Public Health: Monica Ong, author of Silent Anatomies, gives a multi-media reading and talk about how communities can turn to poetry to expand cultural competence in public health.
Panel, with Ken McAllister, Monica Ong, Monica Casper, Deanna Lewis, Ron Grant, and TC Tolbert. In-depth examination of the power differentials, communication barriers, fears, and cultural assumptions that shape public health and public safety and potentially perpetuate silences, and/or aggression and misunderstanding.
Oct 7 | Fri | 12:30 pm
Reading and Story-Gathering: Kore Press at Tucson Meet Yourself, Tucson Meet Yourself. Author Monica Ong will read from her work at the “Kitchen Stadium,” and Kore Press will gather community stories about “taste memories” in the “Gastronomy Exhibit," 11-1pm.
Oct 7 | Fri | 4 pm
Artist Talk: UA Poetry Center. Design Thinking & Poetry: New Literacies of the Body.
Oct 7 | Fri | 5:30 pm
Streetcar performance with Poets TC Tolbert and Kristen Nelson, Bio 5 Terminus, near UA Poetry Center. Ride the street car with poets TC Tolbert and Kristen Nelson who will perform their works and other’s. A group reading will be presented at our final destination, La Pilita Cultural Center.
Oct 7 | Fri | 6 pm
UnSilencing Anatomies group reading, curated by TC Tolbert and Kristen Nelson. La Pilita Cultural Center (next to El Tiradito shrine) 420 S. Main Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701
ENJOY!
Official Press Release Info from Kore Press:
Kore Press and the University of Arizona have joined forces to create a city-wide series of events exploring the impact of personal stories on public health and safety. Kick-off events for “UnSilencing Anatomies” run from October 1 -7, and will include a streetcar journey/performance, story-gathering, readings, a panel, and exhibits. This series offers opportunities to connect diverse communities with university and health care academics and professionals to promote critical thinking about the medical humanities and related questions of access/justice and racial/gender equity.
Kore Press, Tucson publisher of innovative women's writings since 1993, is a leader in activism for a holistic community. UnSilencing Anatomies is a city-wide collaboration between Kore Press and her partners, including the University of Arizona, Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, La Pilita and other cultural and justice centers. The series will focus on how the role of art and story-telling impact disparities in public health and safety, providing space for community conversation about the relationship of culture and medicine. Series collaborators will aim to provide individuals of diverse backgrounds with the opportunity to engage candidly with one another, and presenters will explore such issues as cultural assumptions, and silences that impede health and health education.