Writers' Lunch: Writing a Great Essay
moderated by Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte

Join Mechanics' Institute for a discussion on the topic "Writing a Great Essay" with Nigel Hatton, devorah major, and Jeanne Powell. This event will be moderated by Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte.

This Writers' Lunch will be held on Friday, June 21 at 12:00 pm online via Zoom. This special session of Writers' Lunch celebrates Juneteenth (June 19). To learn more about this federal holiday, we highly recommend reading this featured essay on Juneteenth, complemented by Frederick Douglass' 1852 keynote which asks, "What to the slave is the Fourth of July?"

FREE - all are welcome!

Dr. NIGEL HATTON, Associate Professor at UC Merced, specializes in literature, philosophy, and human rights. His research and teaching span the areas of literature and philosophy, human rights and literature, critical refugee studies, and narrative medicine. Dr. Hatton received the dual Ph.D. in Modern Thought & Literature and The Humanities with a PhD minor in Political Theory from Stanford University, and master’s degrees from Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Jesuit University of San Francisco. He has volunteered as an instructor, tutor, and consultant in California prisons since 2003 and occasionally lectures in the Narrative Medicine program at Columbia University. Dr. Hatton teaches undergraduate courses such as "Human Rights & Literature," "Toni Morrison & James Baldwin," and "Literature & Philosophy." This coming fall, Dr. Hatton will lead a five-part seminar on James Baldwin at Mechanics' Institute, starting with James Baldwin's life and essays before moving into Baldwin's novels.

A California born, granddaughter of immigrants, documented and undocumented, devorah major was San Francisco’s Third Poet Laureate. She is a poet, novelist, short story writer and essayist. She has seven books of poetry, four poetry chapbooks, two novels, two biographies for young adults, and a host of short stories, essays, and individual poems published in anthologies and periodicals. Most recently, seven essays by her have been published in the Legion of Honor’s 100th Anniversary Catalogue released this year and the De Young Museum’s 125th anniversary catalog released in 2022. A baker of pies and lover of jazz her poetry has carried her to many countries where she has performed with and without musicians. In 2022 she received Italy’s Regina Coppola International Literary Award. A Willow Press Editor’s Choice, her seventh book of poetry, Califia’s Daughter, was published by Willow Press. She will put down her pen to march, act, and call for justice.

Dr. JEANNE POWELL is a published poet and essayist. Her books include Carousel from Regent Press, and Deeply Notched Leaves from Taurean Horn Press. She was the long-time host for "Celebration of the Word," a weekly open mic in San Francisco. Her small press has published 20 local authors in 20 years. Dr. Jeanne's film essays appear at starkinsider.com/author/jeannep. She has taught in the Upward Bound Project at University of San Francisco and in OLLI classes at San Francisco State University. She has been featured in the Quiet Lightning series at Museum of African Diaspora and in the Poetic Tuesdays series from Litquake. She is a graduate of the Rooted & Written program at SF Writers Grotto and the Anaphora Arts residency. Dr Jeanne holds degrees from Wayne State University and University of San Francisco.

This event will be conducted via Zoom. Register and you will be emailed the Zoom credentials.

About the Moderator

Award-winning author and Pushcart Prize nominee Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte is an Oakland multidisciplinary writer whose autobiographical and fictional short story collections, along with her lyrical and stunning poetry, artfully succeed in getting across deeper meanings about the politics of race and economics without breaking out of the narrative.  Her writing has been variously described as “rich in vivid imagery,” “incredible,” and “great contributions to literature.” Her first novel, Betrayal on the Bayou, was published in June 2020 and a poetry collection she has written with her daughter Dr. Angela M. Boutte, titled No Poetry No Peace™, was published in August 2020 and is the namesake of the No Poetry No Peace™ series at the Mechanics Institute of San Francisco. Her in progress novel first chapter, “The Burden Keeper,” was the 2021 fiction category winner for the San Francisco Writers Conference writing contest anthology. An inaugural Oakland Poet Laureate runner-up, she is also a popular teacher, literary reader, presenter, storyteller, curator, and emcee/host for literary and poetry events. Find out more at www.sheryljbize-boutte.com/

Join us, share, and learn!