NYS Writers Institute

Announcing our NYS Writers Institute's Spring 2025 season schedule! -- 31 events featuring acclaimed novelists, poets, and journalists -- 6 film screenings -- 1 film festival -- 1 staged reading of a play-in-progress All free and open to the public! Check out the events at https://lnkd.in/ga3rJEC

"...and if ever i touched a life i hope that life knows that i know that touching was and still is and will always be the true revolution" Excerpt from Nikki Giovanni’s poem “When I Die” Under gray skies and a sprinkling of rain on Tuesday, we awoke to news of the passing of poet, author, and educator Nikki Giovanni. ? She died Monday with her lifelong partner, Virginia “Ginney” Fowler, by her side in?Blacksburg, Virginia, Associated Press reported. She was 81. ? One of the leading poets of her generation, the author of more than 25 books, a seven-time NAACP Image Award winner, and the first recipient of the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award, Nikki Giovanni was a prominent voice of the Black Arts Movement for more than 50 years. ? Her debut collection,?Black Poetry, Black Talk, was published in 1968. Her final poetry collection, titled?The Last Book, is set for publication in 2025. In 2019,?with a major assist from her longtime friend, retired University at Albany Professor Leonard Slade, the Writers Institute hosted an event that brought Nikki Giovanni to campus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of UAlbany’s Department of Africana Studies. ? The visit followed the 2018 publication of her book,?A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter. Following a reading of her poems and a talk, Giovanni stayed for more than an hour signing books, posing for photos and?speaking (and hugging) students, faculty,?and community members.?University at Albany staff photographer Patrick Dodson captured some beautiful moments from this very special event. See more photos at https://lnkd.in/ebYaE4BG Melissa Connolly Patrick Dodson University at Albany

The University at Albany's #1844Challenge is happening right now! Every gift makes a difference and supports UAlbany students and programs. Bonus - All gifts to ANY DESIGNATION will be matched $ for $ with a gift to student scholarships. As a special thank you from the Alumni Association, donors who give $25 and above will receive a special Damien plushie/buddy! Make an impact and help support UAlbany - https://lnkd.in/eCWQwu4d

How did scientists develop the mRNA COVID vaccines??How did life begin? What makes us human? Why do we get sick and grow old? Join us for a conversation with Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Thomas Cech, author of The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life's Deepest Secrets?(2024). 7:30 p.m. - Conversation / Q&A University at Albany Multi-Purpose Room, Campus Center West Event information at https://lnkd.in/eChrCwef

“Comic books create empathy.” -- Joel Christian Gill Paul Grondahl brought author/cartoonist/illustrator Joel Christian Gill to Troy Prep Charter HS as part of a Touhey Foundation grant for NYS Writers Institute community engagement. Students received signed copies of Joel’s graphic novel “Fights: One Boy’s Triumph Over Violence.” Joel will be joined by Marcus Kwame Anderson and David F. Walker for a conversation at University at Albany later today -- 4:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 16. Event info: https://lnkd.in/ekAnFFEP Free and open to the public.

Wonderful event with an important message for us all. Thanks for attending, Assemblyman Santabarbara!

Good morning. It’s National National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month! Join us at 7 pm today — Monday Oct 7 — for a special event with John Elder Robison, neurodivergent author of four books. https://lnkd.in/eufADchC Free and open to the public. #autism #DisabilityInclusion #disabilities

It was an early morning at WRGB CBS6 with Lara Bryn and Paul Grondahl to discuss our event Monday night with John Elder Robison. Appreciate KeyBank assisting New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID) and NYS Writers Institute in bringing a neuro diverse author to our area. Please join us Monday night. 7 p.m. Monday, October 7 Conversation followed by a Q&A? Page Hall - University at Albany Downtown Campus 135 Western Avenue, Albany NY 12203 Free and open to the public. Free off-street parking.?

Billy Collins was the U.S. Poet Laureate in 2001 during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He wrote the poem "The Names" in dedication to the victims and their survivors. Collins initially refused to read "The Names" in public, though he has read it two times in public since 2002. https://lnkd.in/e3UTWBHe PS: We're honored to welcome Billy Collins as our guest for a conversation with WAMC's Joe Donahue at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25. See our website for more event details. #neverforget #911day #poetry

Join us Thursday, Sept. 12, for a conversation with University at Albany alum Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former executive editor of Teen Vogue and Feministing and the current editorial director at the Meteor.? Free and open to the public. Samhita Mukhopadhyay 4:30 p.m. Thursday, September 12, 2024 Conversation/Q&A Campus Center West Boardroom University at Albany 1400 Washington Avenue Albany NY 12222?