Gemini Ink’s 22nd Inkstravaganza—A Magical Night at the McNay!
Photo by Sara Blanco.
Join Gemini Ink, San Antonio’s Writing Arts Center, at the beautiful McNay Art Museum on Friday, November 4th, for an unforgettable, lively evening celebrating the many worlds of Dr. Norma Elia Cantú! Enjoy our star-packed line-up and mingle with friends and fellow literary fans as we honor the extraordinary accomplishments of this daughter of the borderlands. Dr. Cantú is an activist scholar, poet, writer, and folklorist, and has published widely in the field of Chicano Studies and Border Studies. The Norine R. and T. Frank Murchison Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Trinity University in San Antonio, she is the founder and director of the Society for the Study of Gloria Anzaldúa, a life-changing mentor to emerging scholars, and past president of the American Folklore Society. Dr. Cantú’s accomplishments and community building defy easy categorization!! One who literally and literarily “dances across borders” and brings worlds together through her scholarship, poetry, prose and editorship of numerous anthologies, Cantú has written on topics ranging from her childhood on the frontera to Mexican dance practices, Chicanas with careers in science, and love poems. Her life work has been dedicated to shedding light on the liminal spaces, the borders between worlds, and the undiscovered or under-told stories.
This evening will be a celebratory canto in the unfolding poem of Cantú’s life–a festive night in honor of the immensity of her contributions to our literary communities locally, nationally, and globally. It includes a special performance of Dr. Cantú’s work, award-winning authors speaking about the impact of Cantú’s writings, and live music. Sip our “Canto Cantú” cocktail and enjoy a rich assortment of tasty foods as you gather with our honorary co-chair Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, our emcee Michael Quintanilla, and our featured moderator John Phillip Santos. We will also spotlight Aminah Decé as our teaching artist of the year and Bowden Academy as our featured partner.
Celebrating Dr. Norma Elia Cantú at the McNay Art Museum
Friday, November 4th, 6:30-9:30 pm
Inkstravaganza takes place in the Moroccan Courtyard and spacious AT & T Hall — in-person at the McNay.
Award for Literary Excellence
Dr. Norma Elia Cantú
Honorary Co-Chairs
Joy Harjo, U.S. Poet Laureate 2019-2022
President Teniente-Matson,
Texas A&M University–San Antonio
Moderator
John Phillip Santos
Emcee
Michael Quintanilla
2022 Inkstravaganza Committee
Sheila Black, Jenny Browne, Rita L. Ortiz, Celeste Mendoza, Elvia Niebla, John Olivares Espinoza, V. June Pedraza, Ito Romo, Elsa Ruiz, Carmen Tafolla, Natalia Treviño, Rita Urquijo-Ruiz, Viktoria Valenzuela, and Alexandra van de Kamp.
About Dr. Norma Elia Cantú
Dr. Norma E. Cantú, a daughter of the borderlands, is the Norine R. and T. Frank Murchison Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She is the founder and director of the Society for the Study of Gloria Anzaldúa, and organized El Mundo Zurdo, a gathering of Anzalduistas from 2007–2019. She is on the Board of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, the Macondo Writers Workshop, and CantoMundo. Her publications include Teaching Gloria E. Anzaldúa: Pedagogies and Practices for our Classrooms and our Communities, Mexicana Fashions: Politics, Self-Adornment, and Identity Construction, and Entre Guadalupe y Malinche: Tejanas in Literature and Art; Cabañuelas, a novel; and Meditación Fronteriza: Poems of Love, Life, and Labor. She serves on the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center Conjunto de Nepantleras and the boards of the Macondo Writers Workshop and the American Folklore Society as Past President. An activist scholar, poet, writer, and folklorist she has published widely in the field of Chicano Studies and Border Studies.
Sold Out!
We’re also spotlighting our Partner Classes Youth Programming and honoring our Teaching Artist of the Year, Aminah Decé!
Past Inkstravaganza Honorees
Gregg Barrios
Cary Clack
Carrie Fountain
Tomás Ybarra Frausto
Jan Jarboe Russell
Coleen Grissom
Nan Cuba
Carmen Tafolla
Barbara Ras
John Phillip Santos
Lee Robinson
Jerald Winakur
Steven G. Kellman
Abraham Verghese
David Liss
Sterling Houston
Robert Flynn
Wendy Barker
Naomi Shihab Nye
Rosemary Catacalos
Thank you to our Sponsors!
