Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Ear: Publication Party 2019

The new issue awaits! (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

IVC's so-called "dead day" began with the morning scholarship ceremony which saw Prof. Virginia Shank once again gracing the microphone with wit and fashion — and ended in the evening with Prof. Shank at a different mic in a different outfit altogether. In the hours between she cooked and prepped and the result was yet another memorable launch party for The Ear, IVC's literary journal, marking its 23rd issue.

The evening was a truly impressive gathering of contributors whose readings made the value of the journal obvious to everyone in attendance. (Want your own copy of this year's journal? Copies are for sale at the IVC bookstore for ten bucks. FYI: last year's run has almost sold out.)  Here are some highlights, courtesy of Michael Opsteegh and Rebel Girl (the best photos are his). [See also IVC's Flickr page]

Chancellor Burke was in attendance and tweeted a photo similar to this one with her congratulations. Above: Virginia
Chancellor Burke was in attendance and tweeted a photo similar to this one with her congratulations.
Above: Virginia

The Writing Center was transformed. (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

Virginia Shank writes this caption better than Rebel Girl can: "This amazing poet, Megan Dorame, currently living in Santa Ana, is one of the folks learning her indigenous home language, Tongva, which was spoken by the peoples of the Los Angeles basin before the colonizers arrived. She introduced herself in Tongva and English, then read the two wonderful poems of hers we snapped up." (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

(Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

IVC alum Kavya Makam drove down from Cal Poly SLO to read her poem "Men of Andhra Pradesh." Kavya also worked as editor on previous issues of The Ear and in the year since she transferred, has published two other poems.  (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

Professor Emily Liu reads from Katie Kalahan's story, "Fin." (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

Israa Alujumaa talks about her artwork. (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

The students raised money to fund a color art section in this year's issue. (Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

(Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)
 
Professor Nathan Cayanan, last year's Part-Time Teacher of the Year, read
from his story, "All We Really Do."

IVC student Aiden Koh, who also read at ELEVATE's "Calling US OUT" event earlier this year,
 read his story, "Traffic Jam, " originally composed in WR 13 last fall.


Editor Daria Berenfeld reads E.A Greenwall's poem, "The Problem with talking About Wisdom."

IVC student and contributor Israa Aljumaa was so happy. 

The hardworking student editorial staff receives recognition. 

Photo booth fun. 

(Photo by Michael Opsteegh.)

Trustee Marcia Milchiker with Chancellor Kathleen Burke. 

Burke
Coda: Chancellor Burke seemed impressed — and to have a genuine good time. She stayed until the nearly bitter(sweet) end, talking with most everyone, like, for hours. Really. (And her day started as early as ours did, at the morning scholarship ceremony.)  It is worth noting that days later Professors Shank and Alvarez were contacted by Leticia Clark, the fairly new District Director of Public Affairs & Government Relations because Burke wanted to feature The Ear in an upcoming issue of the Chancellor's newsletter.  The chancellor characterized the journal, according to Clark, as "impressive" and "a great example of collaboration." (It's so nice to be recognized!) So Clark came to campus this week. The interview lasted an hour and a half as they covered the history of the Ear (its birth in 1982, its demise and then Shank's spirited, persistent revival of the project). Photos were taken. Stories told. Clark was most impressive in her own right as a Tustin City Councilperson. So much new leadership at the district level! Exciting times.

Have a good summer.


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