{"id":771,"date":"2019-07-17T18:18:48","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/poetsforchange\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:18:48","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:48","slug":"poetsforchange","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/poetsforchange\/","title":{"rendered":"2013 Poets for Change event on Sept. 28 at WCSU"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 Poets, professors, musicians and more will join together at Western Connecticut State University<\/a> on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013,<\/strong> for the daylong event, \u201c100,000 Poets for Change \u2013 Rally Against Gun Violence<\/a>.\u201d Among those who will participate are current Connecticut Poet Laureate Dick Allen<\/a> and former Connecticut Poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The event will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom on the university\u2019s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. Admission will be free and the public is invited. It is sponsored by the WCSU Master of Fine Arts in Creative and Professional Writing<\/a> program, the Newtown Action Alliance<\/a> and the Junior Newtown Action Alliance.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Brian Clements, coordinator of Western\u2019s M.F.A. in writing program, explained what led to creation of the event.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMore than 30,000 civilians die in the United States every year from gunshots,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is an unacceptable state of affairs that has its roots not only in the over-accessibility of guns but also in a culture of violence in our country, the poor state of our mental health care system, and the failure of our educational system to teach empathy. We hope this event will raise awareness on all those fronts and help to replace our culture of violence with a culture of compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The tentative schedule for the day of readings and performances is:<\/p>\n

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10 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Robin Sampson
<\/a>10:15 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Neil Silberblatt
<\/a>10:30 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Newtown High School<\/a> students

\n 11 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mark McGuire Schwartz<\/a>

\n 11:15 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Leslie McGrath<\/a>

\n 11:30 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lisa Siedlarz<\/a>

\n 11:45 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Faith Vicinanza<\/a>

\n Noon\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ravi Shankar<\/a>

\n 12:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Music performance TBD

\n 12:30 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jeff Schlicht<\/a>

\n 12:45 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bruce Cohen
<\/a>1 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jeff Mock<\/a>

\n1:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Margot Schilpp
<\/a>1:30 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jasmine Dreame Wagner
<\/a>1:45 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carolyn Baccaro
<\/a>2 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lynne Paris-Purtle
<\/a>2:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vinnie Kmetz
<\/a>2:30 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Performance by Don Lowe
<\/a>2:45 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Steven Ostrowski
<\/a>3 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gian Lombardo
<\/a>3:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 David Cappella<\/a>

\n 3:30 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carol Ann Davis
<\/a>3:45 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rabbi Shaul Praver
<\/a>4 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lisa Schwartz
<\/a>4:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jessica Treat
<\/a>4:30 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Performance by Blue Bossa

\n 4:45 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lea Graham
<\/a>5 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lori Allen<\/a>

\n 5:15 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marilyn Nelson<\/a>

\n 5:35 p.m.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dick Allen<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n Exact starting times are approximate and subject to change. Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, coolers and picnic lunches. No alcohol will be permitted in the building.<\/p>\n

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For more information, visit the event\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> or send an email to clementsb@wcsu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England\u2019s best small private universities.<\/em><\/p>\n

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