Photo Courtesy of Wallingford Public Library
This spring and upcoming summer, the Wallingford Public Library has invited several accomplished writers and speakers as part of an eventful slate of programs. This May, the library is hosting Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Arthur Sze, authors Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi, and other community events including a community art project.
The Wallingford Public Library has partnered with the Wallingford Diversity, Equity, the Inclusion Committee, and Wallingford Public Schools to present a curriculum centered around identity. The discussion will be called, “Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Are We?” and was inspired by the book Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture & Identity. In this book, the authors, Ms. Guo and Ms. Vulchi, recount their experience of traveling around all 50 states and speaking to over 150 Americans about racial inequality and identity.
When asked why the library chose this book, Ms. Leah Farrell, the Adult Programming & Community Services Librarian, said, “As we are starting to come out of the pandemic, we wanted to use this book as a way for the community to reconnect by reflecting on our own identities, listening to the stories of others, and determining who we are as a larger community.” All of the events center on a theme of diversity, including Asian-American identity. “While [May’s programming] was not planned specifically to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, we want to recognize the AAPI members of our community with this initiative,” said Ms. Farrell.
Aside from the ‘Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Are We?’ events, the library also hosted a virtual visit from acclaimed poet Mr. Arthur Sze on May 12. The event was co-sponsored by Wallingford’s poet laureate, Ms. Debora Kuan, as part of the library’s Poet Laureate Present Series. Ms. Kuan, who has studied with Mr. Sze, said of the Pulitzer Prize winner: “His work has so much integrity, and so does he; it’s difficult poetry, with often obscure, multicultural references, that never panders to a solipsistic, ethnocentric culture. I thought it would be wonderful if he would read for us, and I was so happy and surprised when he said yes.”
When asked about the highlight of his visit, Mr. Sze said, “One question from a participant that stood out for me was, ‘What advice do you have for a beginning writer?’ And my response was to ‘Write, write, and keep writing.’” Mr. Sze explained that when he was young, he was told that if he stopped writing, he would lose all the momentum he was building with his language. According to him, this was “in hindsight, excellent advice.”
The event was broken into segments of reading and conversation. Ms. Kuan opened with her poem “One Day in America,” followed by Mr. Sze’s poems “Midnight Loon,” “Qiviut,” and “The Gift.” Afterward, they discussed thematic overlaps in their poems, such as violence in contemporary America, before concluding with more poetry. “We wanted to have a conversation in between the poems, rather than a formal reading,” said Mr. Sze.
The revamping of typical readings prompted Ms. Kuan to reflect on her tenure as Wallingford’s Poet Laureate. “I have loved my time as poet laureate so far. Not only has it given me the opportunity to form connections with so many wonderful people in Wallingford, but it has also provided me the chance to bring poetry to this community and to share the unlimited richness and value of contemporary poetry with the public.”
In regard to Mr. Sze’s visit commemorating AAPI heritage month, Ms. Kuan explained, “One of my goals as the first poet laureate of color in Wallingford was, indeed, to amplify the voices of poets of color, so I was specifically intending to invite poets of color for the reading series.”
The first event of the diversity, equity, and inclusion program will be a virtual visit hosted by the Wallingford Public Library for Ms. Guo and Ms. Vulchi on May 25. “Our hope is that this event will inspire people to be reflective and more aware of the experiences of others. Everyone, no matter their background or experiences, wants to feel as if they belong,” said Ms. Angela Bouccheri, a committee member at the Wallingford Public Schools.
Another aspect of the diversity programming will be the installation of a community art project in the window facing Main Street. “It will feature art created by students as well as colorful cards featuring responses to questions about identity and community,” explained Ms. Farrell. The public is encouraged to fill out cards to be added to the display. Her hope is that “anyone walking by the library will be able to view the display, creating somewhat of a public art gallery along Main Street.”
