Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Broward College North Campus English Department

&


Broward College / North Regional Library


Present



March 29th – March 31st


Acts of Courage

Featuring




Mahbod Seraji's









3-Day Schedule

(All presentations take place in the Broward College/North Regional Library auditorium)

Monday, March 29th

12:30 p.m. Mutanabbi Street Starts Here

John Cutrone, Program Director of the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, shows a collection of digital and hand-printed broadsides created by the Mutanabbi Street Coalition. This collection of oversized poems blended with images was created in response to the 2007 car-bombing of Baghdad’s literary and intellectual center.


3:30 p.m. Art Show: John Moscowitz “Samplings”

Dr. John Moscowitz presents Samplings, an extensive overview of oil paintings completed during 2009-2010. The landscapes and streetscapes include settings of New York’s Mid-Hudson/Catskill region, South Florida, France, and Belgium.

6:00-9:00 p.m. Film Panel: Screening of Persepolis – Moderated by John Moscowitz

Dr. John Moscowitz, BC North Campus Professor of English, screens the film Persepolis and leads a panel discussion on how the film relates to Rooftops of Tehran. A question and answer session from the audience will close the night’s discussion.



Tuesday, March 30th


9:30 a.m. Eric J. Hanne "Revolutions, Coups, and the Iranian People: Profiles in Courage"

Dr. Eric Hanne, FAU Professor of History, addresses the milestone Iranian events of the 20th century leading to the popular 1970s revolution that overthrew Mohammed Reza Shah. Through a lecture and PowerPoint presentation, Hanne presents the key figures, images, and events that have defined this era.

11:00 a.m. Lynne Thorner “Reel Acts of Courage”

Lynne Thorner, BC North Campus Professor of English, presents a program that features acts of courage reflected in films about diverse cultures. Film choices include Children of Heaven, Osama, Kite Runner, and Slumdog Millionaire. A question and answer session will follow the film viewing.

12:30 p.m. Peggy Green “Roots of Change”

Dr. Peggy Green, BC Professor of Biology and Environmental Science, screens Roots of Change, a thirty-minute video exploring the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathi’s incredible journey against deforestation practices in Kenya. Maathi mobilized the women of Kenya to plant trees in protest to Kenya’s cruel dictatorship and its deforestation practices.

2:00 p.m. Poets of Delray Beach Poetry Slam “Poets Anonymous”

The Delray Beach Poets, led by Slam Mistress and Coach Casandra Tanenbaum, brings South Florida spoken-word artists to express acts of courage through poetry. Prior to the slam, BC students will present their original poetry.

7:00 p.m. Featured Author, Mahbod Seraji “Iran’s People vs. Iran’s Leaders”

Rooftops of Tehran author Mahbod Seraji discusses the differences between the goals of Iran’s people and the government. He explores how the misunderstanding between the government and the people can be detrimental to our future. Seraji also explains his reasons for writing Rooftops of Tehran and what he hopes readers will take from the book.





Wednesday, March 31st


9:30 a.m. Nahid Quchani “Tea and Tehran”

Nahid Quchani, BC North Campus Learning Resource Specialist, joins us for a roundtable discussion "Tea and Tehran". She reflects on her childhood in Tehran and how her memories resonate with those of the characters in Rooftops of Tehran. Authentic Iranian tea and treats will be served, some of which are delectably described in the novel.


11:00 a.m. Reyhaneh Fathieh "Anywhere You Go, the Sky is the Same Color"

Reyhaneh Fathieh shows the human side of Iranians through personal anecdotes, videos, and photographs of Iranian everyday life. Fathieh lived the first part of her life in Iran and currently resides in Washington, D.C. She holds degrees in English, Foreign Affairs and Middle East Studies.


12:30 p.m. Featured Author, Mahbod Seraji “Iran’s Culture in Literature”

Has Iran’s culture been fairly represented in contemporary literature? Have Western perspectives distorted the perception of Iranian people and their socio-political struggles? Mahbod Seraji responds to these provocative questions and discusses the challenges of authors writing about different cultures. Seraji reads excerpts from his novel Rooftops of Tehran.

2:00 p.m. Student Writing Contest Awards Ceremony

Writing Contest students receive their prizes and will read excerpts from their winning entries in our short story, poetry, and essay contest.




**ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC**



wRites of Spring is funded by the office of the North Campus Provost.
Mahbod Seraji appears courtesy of Pearson Education.
Student awards are provided by Broward College Student Life.