PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
November 4, 2003
Diversity Event Set for Nyumburu Nov. 25, 2003
A major diversity event that will focus on disability and also serve as the venue for announcing the winners of a campus-wide poetry competition will be held at the Nyumburu Cultural Center on Tuesday, Nov. 25th, from 12 Noon to 2 p.m.
Entitled “Secret Blossoms: The Art of Ability 2003, ” the event is co-sponsored by the Diversity Committee from the University of Maryland, College Park, Libraries, and VSA arts of Maryland. The mission of VSA arts of Maryland, part of the Maryland State Department of Education, is to enrich the lives of persons with disabilities through active involvement in the arts.
Judy Neri, a local poet and writer/editor who is disabled, and Michael Collier, Poet Laureate of Maryland and Professor of English on campus, will serve as co-masters of ceremonies for the event.
The first portion of the program, chaired by Neri, will include remarks by Provost William W. Destler; a reading by Michael Collier of some of his poems; vocal musical selections by Ya-Hui Hsu, a visually impaired graduate student; a poetry reading by Yasmin Reyazzudin, a blind UM alumna; and an interactive lecture on the theory of music making by Paula Moore who is Founder and Conductor of interplay Company, a mixed abilities orchestra.
Chaired by Collier, the second half of the program will feature Donald Manildi, curator of the International Piano Archives at Maryland (IPAM), playing selections by Beethoven who composed while suffering from a severe hearing disability; Judy Neri reading some of her poetry; and an announcement of the results of the poetry contest competition. The four winners, introduced by Collier, will read their prize-winning poems and receive recognition from Dean of Libraries Charles B. Lowry. The program will conclude with some closing remarks from Ann Masnik, chair of the event.
Students from various local Special Education classes
in area schools have been invited to attend the event. A reception, to
which everyone is invited, will follow the program.
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