In partnership with the Barns of Rose Hill, 1455 is excited to announce a series of panels, Storytelling in the 21st Century. The first program, “Why Words Matter: The Power of Storytelling” will be Feb 29, from 8:00-9:30.
Why do we tell stories? How has storytelling, as diversion, literary device, or business strategy, evolved over time? How does the info-overload environment facilitated by the Internet up the stakes or complicate what is—and isn’t—narrative? These and many other questions will be tackled throughout the course of this series. With one program scheduled for each quarter in 2020, 1455 will invite a variety of writers, teachers, entrepreneurs and advocates. This first panel, “Why Words Matter: The Power of Storytelling” will focus on how narrative is taught, utilized, and celebrated in the classroom and throughout culture.
Sean Murphy, 1455’s Executive Director, has been writing book, movie, and music reviews for almost two decades. Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Murphy has had his fiction, poetry, and essays in numerous publications. In addition to his former role as tech analyst focusing on the intersection of innovation and culture, he is the author of several books, including the memoir Please Talk about Me When I’m Gone. Joining him are a distinguished group of industry insiders, all with ties to the Virginia creative and academic scenes. Gregg Wilhelm, a writer, publisher, teacher and arts administrator with more than twenty years of experience in the literary arts. He founded CityLit Project and is currently Director of George Mason University’s MFA Program. Debra Lattanzi Shutika is a folklorist specializing in critical race, sense of place and Appalachian studies. She teaches digital storytelling, Appalachian folklore American and Latino folklore, sense of place, and bodylore. She is author of Beyond the Borderlands: Migration and Belonging in the United States and Mexico (2011, University of California Press), winner of the 2012 Chicago Folklore Prize. Jennifer L. Disano serves as the Executive Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI Mason), a nonprofit membership driven organization with three regional campuses in Northern Virginia offering 600 educational courses per year to over 1200 members, serving retired individuals aged 55 or better. As Chief Spokesperson for the organization, she regularly gives speeches and media appearances to support outreach of the organization. As OLLI Mason is nationally aligned with 120 OLLIs at Universities, she works closely with other OLLIs across the country.
The panel will be interactive, and questions from the audience are encouraged. This is a free event.
More about Sean Murphy and 1455.
