| Date: | April 06, 2019 |
| Time: | 12:00 - 2:00 PM |
| Venue: | Christ Episcopal Church |
| Organizations: | Christiansburg Institute Inc., Nikki Giovanni |
| Cost: |
Adults: $20.00 Ages 5-12: $10.00 Age 4 & Under: Free
|
| Description: |
The Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association presents a Rainbow Luncheon Fundraiser with Poet Nikki Giovanni on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at the Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, VA. Enjoy a luncheon with keynote speaker the renown poet and author Nikki Giovanni. Nikki Giovanni is one of the best-known African-American poets who reached prominence during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her unique and insightful poetry testifies to her own evolving awareness and experiences: from child to young woman, from naive college freshman to seasoned civil rights activist, from daughter to mother. Frequently anthologized, Giovanni’s poetry expresses strong racial pride and respect for family. Her informal style makes her work accessible to both adults and children. A lung cancer survivor, Giovanni also contributed an introduction to the anthology Breaking the Silence: Inspirational Stories of Black Cancer Survivors (Hilton Publishing, 2005). Her honors include a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1970, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Dedication and Commitment to Service in 2009, three NAACP Image Awards for Literature in 1998, the Langston Hughes award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts and Letters in 1996, as well as more than twenty honorary degrees from national colleges and universities. She has been given keys to more than a dozen cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, and New Orleans. Several magazines have named Giovanni Woman of the Year, including Essence, Mademoiselle, Ebony, and Ladies Home Journal. She was the first recipient of the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award. She has served as poetry judge for the National Book Awards and was a finalist for a Grammy Award in the category of Spoken Word. She is currently University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, where she has taught since 1987. Links: • http://www.nikki-giovanni.com/ • https://www.facebook.com/NikkiGiovanniAuthor The cost is $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for ages 5-12 and free for ages 4 and under. Christiansburg Institute (CI, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) cultural heritage and historic preservation non-profit located in Christiansburg, Virginia. The Christiansburg Industrial Institute (CII) educated African American students in the New River Valley and beyond for 100 years (1866-1966). The Christiansburg Institute was the first high school in Southwest Virginia to educate the formerly enslaved including residents in the New River Valley, Southwest Virginia, and beyond. Christiansburg Institute, Inc. (CI, Inc). takes seriously our ancestral duty to honor Christiansburg Institute's rich tradition of education and learning, community reconciliation and civic engagement in these Appalachian mountains. Our mission to preserve and promote the historic Christiansburg Industrial Institute through enacting its legacies of education, service, and excellence. Christiansburg Industrial Institute, Inc. was created by the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association (CIAA) in 1996. Links: • https://www.christiansburginstitute.com/ • https://www.facebook.com/Christiansburg-Institute-Revitalizing-a-Legacy-117505064938179 • https://twitter.com/cburginstitute The Christ Episcopal Church is located at 120 Church Street in Blacksburg, VA. To view the event flyer, visit: https://i.imgur.com/wb85xyd.jpg. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/christiansburginstitute/ or https://www.christiansburginstitute.com/ or contact Kathryn King at 540-382-4165 or email KatKitty@shentel.net. |