Nikki Giovanni at STCC

On Friday, October 31, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in the gymnasium of Scibelli Hall, the College will welcome world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni.

This is the first program in a series of Diversity Speakers/Art events sponsored by the Diversity Council for the 2008-2009 season. This event is also being sponsored by: Mass Mutual, Mass Mutual Center, Baystate Health, Black Men of Greater Springfield, Springfield Health & Human Services, American International College, PeoplesBank, The Point of View, Unity First, Springfield College and WNEC.

Ms. Giovanni, who is one of the most widely read American poets, is considered a National Treasure. Oprah Winfrey recognizes Ms. Giovanni as one of Oprah's twenty-five Living Legends. Ms. Giovanni calls herself "a Black American, a daughter, a mother, and a professor of English". Her focus is on the individual, for she believes in the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus in the lives of others.

Ms. Giovanni has written 30 books for adults and children, some of which have been on the New York Times Bestseller list. Her most recent children's book, Rosa, illustrated by Bryan Collier (and which our library has, among other books of hers, in its children's collection,) was a Caldecott Medal Honors book and won the Coretta Scott King award. She has received numerous other awards. Click on http://nikki-giovanni.com/awardsnhonors.shtml to get that list.

Ms. Giovanni is a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Attached is You-tube video clip of how she rallied the Virginia Tech community after the tragedy in April, 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrJhtH-SHY.
The text she composed can be read at: http://www.vt.edu/remember/archive/giovanni_transcript.html

Lynn Coakley
Coordinator of Technical Services & CLGS coordinator
Library
Springfield Technical Community College
One Armory Sq.
Springfield, MA 01102
413.755.4565
fax: 413.755.6315
lcoakley@stcc.edu