Poetry Reading Friday, Writers Conference Saturday At Bucks County Community College

Bucks County Community College’s Wordsmiths Writing Series invites the public to “Many Voices, Many Stories,” a poetry reading and writers conference featuring Richard Blanco, Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3, on the Newtown campus, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown.

Blanco will kick off the weekend with a free public poetry reading Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Gallagher Room of the Rollins Center where will read from his award-winning works and will be joined by winners of an LGBTQ youth poetry contest.

Blanco, who emigrated to the U.S. as an infant with his Cuban-exile family, was President Obama’s inaugural poet in 2013, the college said. As the fifth inaugural poet of the United States, he read “One Today,” an original poem he wrote for the occasion, becoming the youngest, first Latino, first immigrant, and first openly gay writer to hold the honor, according to the college.

The event continues Saturday with a day-long writers conference from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Gallagher Room.

“Many Voices, Many Stories” will be staffed by a wide variety of award-winning published authors and the conference features panel discussions, writing prompts, genre-specific workshops, an open reading, and a brown-bag lunch with poet Leonard Gontarek, author of Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket, Shiva, the college said in a press release.

The conference is designed to help writers of all levels explore new possibilities, build confidence, break through writing blocks, and find a community of fellow writers, the college said. It requires a $30 fee in the form of three $10 checks to benefit the Rainbow Room, the Attic Youth Center, and Galaei – all of which are LQBTQ youth programs, the college said.

Participants should also bring their lunch, pencil or pen, paper, and an open mind. Students, teachers, and seniors may attend the conference free of charge.

To join the writers conference, contact Dr. Christopher Bursk at (215) 968-8156 or chris.bursk@bucks.edu.

Image via Bucks County Community College