By Latitia Spaulding
M.F.A. Professional Writing students helped bridge an understanding of Caribbean culture at the Second Annual Caribbean Arts and Culture Symposium held June 25 and 26 at SCAD-Atlanta. The event was
sponsored by the SCAD-Atlanta Liberal Arts Department and the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. This was the first year the event was hosted at SCAD. This year’s theme, “The Caribbean Artistic and Cultural Tradition in a Globalizing World” served as a true testament to the vitality, beauty and global significance of the arts, cultures and designs emanating from the Caribbean region.
Events also included panel discussions by distinguished community leaders, scholars and writers and showcased work by SCAD Alumni, Cindy Male of St. Croix and Wendell Smith from Trinidad and Tobago. This year’s keynote speakers included Kwame Dawes, Ph.D., who spoke on “The Art of Bob Marley: The Lyric as a Protest Poem,” Melvin B. Rahming, Ph.D., professor at Morehouse College and Chester J. Fontenot, Ph.D., director of Africana Studies Program at M.F.A. Professional Writing students helped bridge an understanding of Caribbean culture at the Second Annual Caribbean Arts and Culture Symposium held June 25 and 26 at SCAD-Atlanta. The event was sponsored by the SCAD-Atlanta Liberal Arts Department and the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. This was the first year the event was hosted at SCAD.
This year’s theme, “The Caribbean Artistic and Cultural Tradition in a Globalizing World” served
as a true testament to the vitality, beauty and global significance of the arts, cultures and designs emanating from the Caribbean region. Events also included panel discussions by distinguished community leaders, scholars and writers and showcased work by SCAD Alumni, Cindy Male of St. Croix and Wendell Smith from Trinidad and Tobago. This year’s keynote speakers included Kwame Dawes, Ph.D., who spoke on “The Art of Bob Marley: The Lyric as a Protest Poem,” Melvin B. Rahming, Ph.D., professor at Morehouse College and Chester J. Fontenot, Ph.D., director of Africana Studies Program at Mercer University who spoke on the rich diversity in the Caribbean artistry, cultures and critiques.
As part of the two-day event, SCAD-Atlanta students led a panel discussion entitled, “Recognition of the Caribbean Message: From First Person Narratives to the Dance Hall.”
During their presentations, each spoke on a variation of topics and raised awareness about Jamaica by exploring some of the various misconceptions and sterotypes about Jamaican people and culture.
Additional student panel presentations included works by B.F.A. Illustrator major, Corrine Francilus, who exhibited a number of pieces that reflect her Haitian heritage and led a session about her affinity for Hip Hop culture in a presentation entitled, “New Critics Voices.” Oman Richardson, a graduate printmaking and commercial photography major, presented a discussion of the Bahamian Festival “Junkanoo.”
“It [The Symposium] has broadened my world view and experience and understanding of literature, culture, humanity and language, said Cara Aliek, M.F.A. Professional Writing student. Aliek presented a
lecture entitled, “Jamaican Patois: Embracing Family, Food and Culture Through Language.”
By exploring everyday life, dance, languages, art and literature, students help shed light on the beauty, richness and significance of the various Jamaican art forms and the artists who introduced them to the world.
“This event was a huge opportunity for us [SCAD Professional Writing students] to be amongst such major scholars,” said Angela Dickey, second year graduate student. Dickey, who presented “Dancehall Culture: ‘Seriously’ Jamaican,” engaged the audience with an instructional video on various Dancehall moves. Other events included a live performance by local Atlanta dance group, Jam Infinity, and film screenings on the life of Aime Cesaire, world-renowned French Caribbean poet and statesman and Victor
Anicet, internationally recognized ceramist from Martinique. Professors Emily Williams, Ph.D., and Stephanie Batcos, Ph.D., of the Liberal Studies Department at SCAD-Atlanta, helped organize the event. They said the symposium was once a glimmer of hope for the two of them that became a brilliant realization.
“We are very proud of the work that our students, participating scholars and artists have done and will continue to do,” said professor Williams. “It was our pleasure and honor to celebrate their artistic
and scholarly endeavors at this year’s event here at SCAD-Atlanta as we work together to expand educational programs for literary and cultural arts.”
Another highlight of the symposium was the launch of Dr. Williams’ new book “Beyond the Canebrakes: Caribbean Women Writers in Canada,” published by Africa World Press. The book includes interviews with poets Afua Cooper and Lillian Allen, as well as 13 critical essays by contributors including SCAD-Atlanta professor Stephanie Batcos, Ph.D., and SCAD-Savannah professor Catherine Ramsdell., Ph.D. graphic design student Mark Montgomery designed the book’s cover and this year’s symposium logo while Colin Gellar, an illustration major, created the illustrations for the cover.