Anu , a Washington Humanities Lecturer, will speak to the Orcas community at Orcas High School this Friday

AnuTaranath, a Washington Humanities Lecturer, will speak to the Orcas community at Orcas High School this Friday

Friday, March 15, 2013 at Orcas Island High School, 715 School Road

By Martin Arnold, Orcas Public Library

The Orcas Island Public Library and Humanities Washington invite the community to an engaging conversation with Anu Taranath, a member of the 2012-14 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau.

For more information, contact Phil Heikkinen at 360-376-4985 or pheikkinen@orcaslibrary.org.

About this program
The World in Washington: An Exploration of Literature and Our Lives
Stories seem innocuous, fictional, not real and imaginary; they are seemingly easy to dismiss – but are also potent and gripping. We are narrative creatures, all of us, and the stories we read or hear can stay with us for years after their telling. Can picking up a book or two help thread our different communities together into something more collective, shared or known? Focusing on issues of racial difference, cultural diversity, immigration and identity, professor of literature Anu Taranath will introduce us to inspirational and absorbing literature written by a wide range of Washingtonians. This conversation will help us better understand who comprises our state, the range of perspectives Washingtonians have and strategies for living together with more clarity and intention.

About Anu Taranath
Since 2000, Anu Taranath has been teaching world literatures at the University of Washington, with a focus on Africa, South Asia, the Caribbean and U.S. communities of color. She is the recipient of numerous distinctions, including inclusion in the Seattle Weekly’s “Best of Seattle 2008,” two Fulbright-Hays Awards and the UW’s Distinguished Teaching Award 2010. She conducts workshops on diversity issues and multiculturalism and serves as a consultant to other area colleges. Taranath founded and currently directs a study-abroad program based in Bangalore, India, that explores social justice and NGO activism. She is currently finishing a book on the ethics and politics of global travel. For more on Taranath, go to her website, anutaranath.com.

About Humanities Washington
Humanities Washington sparks conversation and critical thinking using story as a catalyst, nurturing thoughtful and engaged communities across our state. For more about Humanities Washington, visit www.humanities.org.

About the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau
Speakers Bureau is one of Humanities Washington’s oldest and most popular programs. A roster of 28 cultural experts and scholars provides low-cost, high-quality public presentations across the state, encouraging audiences to think, learn and engage in conversation. These diverse and engaging speakers cover a variety of topics, including popular culture, photography, architecture, literature, food, film and history. Best of all – these presentations are free and open to the public. For more about Speakers Bureau, visit www.humanities.org/programs/speakers.

About Orcas Island Public Library
The Orcas Island Public Library supports all learners on the island by maintaining strong collections, online resources, and services; serves as a welcoming place for reflection, exploration, discussion, and community networking; and reaches out effectively to all groups and individuals who will benefit from receiving services away from the Library. For more about the Orcas Island Public Library, visit www.orcaslibrary.org