This event was actually entertaining for me. When I first arrived I notice the colorful decorations and the loud music. It was nice seeing the video that was created where different students from different background shared a little about their experience in City Tech and their collaboration to this Literary Art Festival event.  This group is called LAF Team, showing other students that they could be part of a group where they could join to feel a part of the college society and a place where they will be accepted. They performed a dance to “Because I’m Happy” by Bruno Mars, where they showed their energy and positive vibes to the audience.

After this people started to do reading of writings they have created in which I found interesting to listening to some of their works. There were different styles talking about different things. One of the readings that caught my attention was by Latoya Scarboro, she created a poem where she talked about her life in Brooklyn. She shared her struggles growing up after losing her mother at a young age, Latoya mentioned that although she struggled to get through school she will continue until she accomplish her goal of getting a degree. I found this interesting because I feel that a lot of people could have related themselves to her and the hardships she been through, she was an example that you shouldn’t give up on what you want.

After a couple of more readings a band named “Rough Magic” played. Although this is not my personal type of music I enjoyed listening to them it was something different. After some more reading awards were given out to students that were part of a writing competition. Overall I felt the event was full with energy and it was a good time.

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I found this event based on the play “Intimate Apparel” by Lynn Nottage very interesting.  I enjoyed it a lot because it gave me a chance to see some scenes that students reacted from the play. Being able to see the students acting the scene out gave me a more visual look on how the scene played out. The English classes that perform really did a good job in getting into the character that they were giving. They really showed facial expressions and used tone of voices that helped me see a visuals image of the play. One of the things I found most interesting was when one of the students showed the audience a drawing that she created in which she believed represented Esther. The drawing was two hands holding a rose that was bleeding. The student said that the rose represented Esther throughout the play because she is the only one that gets hurt. I agree with her because throughout the play we see how Esther struggles in finding love and her low self-esteem. We also see her being disappointed even after having what she always wished for because George wasn’t the man that she thought he was. I also do think that Esther wasn’t the only character that was going through hardships in the play.

After this we heard a poem by one of the students in which he created it from scene 2 when Ms. Van Buren kisses Esther and was rejected. I always found this part of the play interesting because was Ms. Van Buren really lesbian or she didn’t it due to the lack of attention she was getting by her husband. I think she had a strong connection with Esther because she actually listened to what she had to say and knew her most intimate secrets and probably felt the need to be a bit closer to her. At the end of this event a conversation and discussion took place between Dr. Marta Effinger- Crichlow and Prof. Jeannie Foster talking about what they thought about the play. Listening to their conversation was very interesting because they really studied the play meaning that they made me see things a little more different for example, George. One of the professor stated that she feels sympathy for George because him as well was a hardworking man that was trying to find her American dream. George wanted to create a new identify for himself. In the conversation it was also started that throughout the play a strong identity to African- American women is given because they all in some sense had some type of independence.   One of the things said that caught my attention was when one of the professors stated “never confuse a person inability to read or write with their intelligence.” Although Esther couldn’t read or write she still found a way to survive.

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