Ryka Aoki: Transgender Day of Liberation, April 9

Often we rush to aid identities, labels and classes. But we underneath these banners, we are helping ourselves as people. It is more than lip service; creating trust and friendship at a personal level is a key ingredient to enacting lasting and ethical reform. In her talk as part of the Transgender Day of Liberation event on April 9 at 7 p.m. in the Watson Theater in the Menschel Media Center, Professor Ryka Aoki will discuss the importance of individual and local community relationships to overarching sociopolitical alliances. She’ll probably tell a few silly stories and read a couple of poems, from her new book, Seasonal Velocities.

Ryka Aoki, is a writer, performer and educator who has been honored by the California State Senate for creating Trans/Giving, LA’s only art/performance series dedicated to trans*, genderqueer and intersex artists. Aoki has as an M.F.A. in creative writing from Cornell University and is the recipient of a University Award from the Academy of American Poets. Her chapbook, “Sometimes Too Hot the Eye of Heaven Shines” (Inconvenient Press), won the 2010 Eli Coppola Chapbook Contest.

Aoki’s poetry appears in the 2011 edition of “Many Mountains Moving,” and Hummingbird Review. She is a professor of English at Santa Monica College. Aoki appears in the recent trans documentaries “Diagnosing Difference” and “Riot Acts,” as well as the anthology “Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation” (Seal Press).

Book signing and reception to follow lecture.

FREE and open to the public. DHH services will be available for this program.

Website:
http://suevents.syr.edu/main.php?view=event&eventid=1332778031483

Contact Person: Lauren Adamski
LGBT Resource Center
315-443-3983
lgbt@syr.edu