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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T183000
DTSTAMP:20260901T183744Z
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SUMMARY:USM Forum on American Democracy: Foundations of Free Expression
DESCRIPTION:Keynote with Dr. Jonathan Friedman\nWednesday\, September 9\, 2026 \n\n\n \n5:00 – 6:30 PM | Hannaford Hall\, Abromson Center  \nUniversity of Southern Maine (USM) 2026–2027 Series: A Focus on Free Speech \nHosted by President Jacqueline Edmondson \nDr. Jonathan Friedman\, Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America\, will launch the second year of the Forum series with a keynote addressing the critical role of freedom of speech in American democracy. Drawing from extensive work in advocacy and public discourse\, Friedman will explore how protecting free expression strengthens civil society and empowers universities like USM to remain vibrant centers for open inquiry and intellectual growth. \n\n\n\nAbout the USM Forum on American Democracy\n\n\n\nThe USM Forum on American Democracy is a year-long public series designed to engage the University of Southern Maine and the broader community in thoughtful conversations on the foundations and future of democratic society. Hosted by President Edmondson\, the Forum invites multiple perspectives on timely civic topics through keynote speakers\, panel discussions\, and campus-wide engagement. \n\n\n\nEach year\, the Forum explores a central theme. For its second year\, the focus is on freedom of speech – its foundational role in a democratic society\, the modern challenges and protections surrounding it\, and how we foster open\, robust dialogue within our communities and campuses today. \n\n\n\nBy engaging voices from across campus\, across ideologies\, and across communities\, the Forum seeks to deepen our collective understanding of democratic ideals. Whether you’re a student thinking about your role in shaping the future\, an educator nurturing thoughtful dialogue\, or a community member seeking unity in complexity\, this conversation will leave you inspired and equipped to take part in building a democracy that works for all of us. \n\n\n\nA thank you to the Pond Family Foundation\, the sponsors of the USM Forum on American Democracy.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/usm-forum-on-american-democracy-foundations-of-free-expression/
LOCATION:Hannaford Hall — Abromson Community Education Center\, 88 Bedford St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion,Student activities
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ORGANIZER;CN="Office of the President":MAILTO:usm.president@maine.edu
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T183000
DTSTAMP:20260916T123603Z
CREATED:20260824T133412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T123603Z
UID:10036114-1790181000-1790188200@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:A.I. Refusal in Education and Beyond
DESCRIPTION:a conversation with Hannah Cyrus and Janna Ahrndt\n \nSkeptical about the generative A.I. hype? Want a space to discuss the whys and hows of refusal? Just curious?  \nJoin Hannah Cyrus (Digital Media Librarian at Bangor Public Library) and Janna Ahrndt (Assistant Professor of Art and Interim Director of the Maker Innovation Studio (MIST) Lab at USM) to learn about how generative A.I. works\, how (un)reliable it is as an information source\, and more about USM’s contract with Chat GPT Edu\, including surveillance and privacy issues and implications for intellectual freedom. We will also have resources about how to disable generative A.I. on your devices. \nThis event is free and open to the public. \nRoom change: 7th Floor Glickman Library (Briggs room\, formerly the University Events Room) \nAdditional logistics: \n\nAccommodations: If you have questions about accessibility or need to request accommodations (e.g. interpreters\, materials in electronic format\, etc.)\, please describe them in the event RSVP form. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.\nParking: Parking at USM is not free; please visit the Parking Services website for more information.\nHealth: Masks optional. Please consider masking or staying home if you are sick.\nFood: Snacks provided!\n\nHosted by the University of Southern Maine Libraries & Learning Outreach Committee with generous support from the Osher Map Library and the UMS A.I. Task Force.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/a-i-refusal/
LOCATION:Glickman Family Library\, 314 Forest Avenue\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T200000
DTSTAMP:20260925T150734Z
CREATED:20260811T150130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T150734Z
UID:10035898-1790704800-1790712000@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:We Will See You Bleed:  A book talk with Ron Currie
DESCRIPTION:The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to a book talk with Maine Franco-American novelist Ron Currie about his new novel\, We Will See You Bleed. Join us at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston campus\, 51 Westminster St. in Lewiston\, room 170\, on September 29\, 2026 at 6 pm for the event. There is no fee for our programs\, which are made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Québec Delegation in Boston. \nAward-winning author Ron Currie dazzled readers last spring with his exhilarating\, genre-bending turn to crime\, The Savage\, Noble Death of Babs Dionne. Named an April IndieNext Pick and a best book of the year by the Wall Street Journal\, Vulture\, NPR\,org\, and more\, this viscerally drawn literary thriller—centered around a matriarchal crime syndicate in small-town Maine—earned effusive critical acclaim upon publication and has already been optioned for production as a Netflix series. Crucially\, the novel introduced readers to Babs Dionne\, the flawed\, complicated\, captivating antiheroine at its center\, whose ferocious\, unbending love for her community and ruthless capacity for violence inspired comparisons to Tony Soprano and Vito Corleone. Such rarified comparisons speak to just how masterfully and reverently Currie has rendered Babs\, her kin\, and the world she rules with her cast-iron fist—a world in which brutality\, identity\, and family are the only objective truths. \nThis summer\, Babs Dionne is back and more bitter than ever in We Will See You Bleed\,  the highly anticipated second novel in Currie’s Waterville trilogy exploring the generations of \nDionne women in Little Canada’s hardscrabble\, tight-knit Franco-American community. A prequel to the events of The Savage\, Noble Death\, this propulsive\, epic crime saga transports readers back to the mid-1980s to chart Babs’ violent origin story against the backdrop of a historic labor strike. With the breathless suspense\, dark humor\, and profound empathy that earned its predecessor national media attention from the Wall Street Journal\, Los Angeles Times\, NPR\, Boston Globe\, Chicago Tribune\, Seattle Times\, Air Mail\, and more\, Currie’s sixth novel weaves together high stakes suspense with deep emotional resonance to craft a small-town story about class struggle and cultural identity that unfolds with the urgency of a Shakespearean drama. The book also features both return appearances from Babs’indelible cast of henchwomen and introduces new characters\, including Babs’ late husband Rheal—making this both an anticipated continuation of this world and a fresh entry point for new readers into the Dionne universe. \n  \nUnable to join us in-person? Here’s a link to register to attend on Zoom: https://maine.zoom.us/meeting/register/KW0mRcFRRIi62hKAaLh65Q \n  \nFor more information or to register\, contact the FAC archivist\, Anna Faherty at anna.faherty@maine.edu or by phone (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters\, materials in electronic format\, etc.)\, please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/we-will-see-you-bleed-a-book-talk-with-ron-currie/
LOCATION:Franco-American Collection — LAC\, 51 Westminster St\, Lewiston\, ME\, 04240\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T131532Z
CREATED:20260831T154156Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T131532Z
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SUMMARY:What Came Down in the Smoke: The 2026 Peggy L. Osher Visiting Artist Fellow Lecture with Summer J. Hart
DESCRIPTION:Image of Summer J. Hart.\n  \nAward-winning writer and interdisciplinary artist Summer J. Hart (opens in a new tab) will deliver a poetry reading and artist process talk weaving together recent works on grief\, memory-mapping\, and the passage of time. A book signing for her new book of poetry What Came Down in the Smoke will follow the reading and lecture. Join us on Thursday\, October 8th\, from 5pm-7pm at the McGoldrick Center Salons (35 Bedford St.\, 2nd Floor) on the University of Southern Maine Portland Campus. This event is being co-presented by the 2026 Maine Lit Fest. Please RSVP HERE (opens in new tab). \nAuthor Bio: Summer J. Hart is an interdisciplinary artist and writer from Maine living in the Hudson Valley\, New York. She is the author of two books of poetry: Boomhouse (2023\, The 3rd Thing Press)\, which won the 2024 Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize\, and What Came Down in the Smoke (2026\, JackLeg Press). She is a 2023 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Poetry and the 2022 Hellen Ingram Plummer Fellow at MacDowell. Her creative work has been supported by Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and Vermont Studio Center. Her writing appears in Best Small Fictions 2023 (Alternating Current Press); Mothman Was Here: Tales of the Uncanny (Tenpenny Books\, 2024); Allium; Ballast; Bedfellows\, Electric Literature\, Grist\, Hypertext Review\, Heavy Feather Review\, North American Review\, Tyger Quarterly\, Wildroof Journal\, and elsewhere. Her mixed-media artworks have been featured in exhibitions across the United States including SPRING/BREAK NYC\, Pen + Brush\, The Parsonage\, the Maine State House Gallery\, Gitana Rosa Gallery\, LeMieux Galleries\, and Kasia Kay Art Projects. She has work in the permanent collections of The University of Hartford and the University of Southern Maine. Summer is an enrolled member of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation. \nWhat: What Came Down in the Smoke: The 2026 Peggy L. Osher Visiting Artist Fellow Lecture with Summer J. Hart\nWhere: McGoldrick Center Salons (35 Bedford Street\, 2nd Floor) on the University of Southern Maine Portland Campus\nWhen: Thursday\, October 8th\, 2026\n5-5:30pm: Reception; 5:30pm-7pm: Lecture\, Reading\, and Q&A\, followed by a book signing\nCost: Free \nParking and Public Transport:\nParking on the University of Southern Maine (USM) Portland campus is available for $4.15 per hour in Garages 1 and 2. Please visit the USM digital parking interface (opens in a new tab) to reserve your parking ahead of time. Greater Portland Metro (opens in a new tab) bus lines #4 and the Husky line pickup and drop-off about a four-minute walk from the entrance of the Glickman Family Library. One-way rides on the Greater Portland Metro bus are $2.25 each way.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/what-came-down-in-the-smoke-the-2026-peggy-l-osher-visiting-artist-fellow-lecture-with-summer-j-hart/
LOCATION:McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success\, 35 Bedford Street\, Portland\, ME\, 04101
CATEGORIES:Community and culture,Lecture or panel discussion,Visual and performing arts
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ORGANIZER;CN="Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education":MAILTO:oml-usm@maine.edu
GEO:43.662794152949;-70.27502725047
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T190000
DTSTAMP:20260930T140250Z
CREATED:20260819T140339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260930T140250Z
UID:10035964-1792515600-1792522800@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:Artist Lecture: Dan Mills
DESCRIPTION:Artist Dan Mills pictured in his studio.\n  \nJoin us for a public Artist Lecture with Dan Mills\, creator of the Visceral Cartography: Projects on Colonialism\, Conflict\, and Culture exhibit on view at the Osher Map Library Gallery starting September 15. The lecture takes place on Tuesday\, October 20\, 2026 with a reception from 5 – 5:30 p.m. and a lecture to follow. This event is free and open to the public\, light refreshments will be served. RSVPs are appreciated\, click the link to reserve your spot (opens in a new tab).  \nVisceral Cartography: Projects on Colonialism\, Conflict\, and Culture by Dan Mills is a solo exhibition featuring artwork selected from 11 series\, or Research Projects\, plus several early works; by the artist. Dan Mills works with archival materials to express historical events and reimagined narratives\, collaging elements from maps onto board and other materials\, layering many colors of paint and other media on top. He selectively reworks portions of each piece to expose overpainted layers and information. Mills’ extensive research practice informs the visualization of each series\, which often explore place-based histories and narratives that are absent from or undermined by mainstream media. \nThe exhibition runs until December 23. Public gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday\, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.\, and most Saturdays\, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome\, although appointments are encouraged. Visit www.oshermaps.org/visit (opens in a new tab) to book your gallery appointment. \nWhat: Artist Lecture with Dan Mills\nWhen: Tuesday October 20\, 2026\, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.\nWhere: University Events Room \, 314 Forest Avenue\, Portland (located inside the Glickman Family Library on the 7th floor)\nCost: Free \nParking and Public Transport:\nParking on the University of Southern Maine (USM) Portland campus is available for $4.15 per hour in Garages 1 and 2. Please visit the USM digital parking interface (opens in a new tab) to reserve your parking ahead of time. Greater Portland Metro (open in a new tab) bus lines #4 and the Husky line pickup and drop-off about a four-minute walk from the entrance of the Glickman Family Library. One-way rides on the Greater Portland Metro bus are $2.25 each way.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/artist-lecture-dan-mills/
LOCATION:University Events Room\, 7th floor — Glickman Library\, 314 Forest Ave\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibit,Lecture or panel discussion,Visual and performing arts
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ORGANIZER;CN="Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education":MAILTO:oml-usm@maine.edu
GEO:43.662702851749;-70.272304880354
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261022T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261022T183000
DTSTAMP:20261020T190014Z
CREATED:20260818T192457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261020T190014Z
UID:10035958-1792688400-1792693800@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:Prophets of the Unicontext - a Talk with Agnes Callard
DESCRIPTION:Philosophy Professor Agnes Callard\, Photo by Eddie Quinones\nRecent Location change to Wishcamper 102\nHow you are supposed to act was\, for most of human history\, situation specific: a function of exactly where you are\, what role you are in\, what kinds of people you are with\, and so on. Over the past hundred or so years\, we have been moving more and more towards a world governed by abstract systems of norms that apply universally. \nUniversity of Chicago philosophy professor Dr. Agnes Callard calls this “the unicontext\,” and theorizes that it helps explain many features of modern life such as: the increase of certain forms of political hostility\, the prevalence of advice\, the struggle to manage one’s own attention\, negativity bias\, the increasing foothold of rankings and metrics\, and more. \nAccording to Professor Callard\, modernist writers were the first to fasten upon the unicontext—a theme she will explore through the work of modernist writers Robert Musil\, Hermann Broch\, and potentially others. \nProfessor Agnes Callard of the University of Chicago\, will present a talk\, “Prophets of the Unicontext”\, on Thursday\, October 22nd at the University of Southern Maine (location details below). This talk is supported with funding from The Louden Family Lecture Series grant. \nCallard is author of “Open Socrates\, The Case of Philosophical Life”; “Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming”; “The Case Against Travel”; as well as articles in The New Yorker\, The New York Times\, The Guardian\, The New Repubulic\, The Free Press and others. \nLocation Change- Wishcamper Center 102\, Portland Campus!
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/prophets-of-the-unicontext-a-talk-with-agnes-callard/
LOCATION:Wishcamper Center\, 34 Bedford St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion
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ORGANIZER;CN="Philosophy Department":MAILTO:usm.philosophy@maine.edu
GEO:43.662434708405;-70.273534415299
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T133000
DTSTAMP:20261030T224618Z
CREATED:20261021T155702Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261030T224618Z
UID:10036714-1795005000-1795008600@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:USM Reads: "Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech\, Not Censorship" by Nadine Strossen
DESCRIPTION:Our USM Reads conversation on free expression is about to get a very special guest. Join us on November 18 at 12:30 p.m. for a USM Reads session with author Nadine Strossen\, whose book Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech\, Not Censorship has anchored our recent discussions. Strossen is a legal scholar and former president of the ACLU with decades of experience in constitutional liberties. This is a rare chance to talk with the author\, ask your questions\, and explore how we can navigate contentious dialogue and protect free speech in a modern democracy. \nYou don’t need to have finished the book to take part. Come curious and ready to join the conversation.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/usm-reads-hate-why-we-should-resist-it-with-free-speech-not-censorship-by-nadine-strossen/
LOCATION:Wishcamper Center\, 34 Bedford St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community and culture,Lecture or panel discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2026/10/Nadine_Strossen_16x9-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Zach Newell":MAILTO:zachary.newell@maine.edu
GEO:43.662434708405;-70.273534415299
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Wishcamper Center 34 Bedford St Portland ME 04101 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=34 Bedford St:geo:-70.273534415299,43.662434708405
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T183000
DTSTAMP:20261106T190808Z
CREATED:20261015T183428Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261106T190808Z
UID:10036706-1795021200-1795026600@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:USM Forum on American Democracy - Free Speech\, Civil Liberties\, and the Future of Democracy: A Conversation with Nadine Strossen
DESCRIPTION:Nadine Strossen — Senior FIRE Fellow\, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School\, and former national ACLU President (1991–2008) — joins USM for a public dialogue on free expression\, constitutional rights\, and open inquiry. This session examines the pressing challenges to public discourse in the digital age\, free speech under pressure\, and how institutions and individuals can navigate today’s deeply polarized political landscape. \nPlease register for this program below. \nAbout the USM Forum on American Democracy \nThe USM Forum on American Democracy is a year-long public series designed to engage the University of Southern Maine and the broader community in thoughtful conversations on the foundations and future of democratic society. Hosted by President Edmondson\, the Forum invites multiple perspectives on timely civic topics through keynote speakers\, panel discussions\, and campus-wide engagement. \nEach year\, the Forum explores a central theme. For its second year\, the focus is on freedom of speech – its foundational role in a democratic society\, the modern challenges and protections surrounding it\, and how we foster open\, robust dialogue within our communities and campuses today. \nBy engaging voices from across campus\, across ideologies\, and across communities\, the Forum seeks to deepen our collective understanding of democratic ideals. Whether you’re a student thinking about your role in shaping the future\, an educator nurturing thoughtful dialogue\, or a community member seeking unity in complexity\, this conversation will leave you inspired and equipped to take part in building a democracy that works for all of us. \nA thank you to the Pond Family Foundation\, the sponsors of the USM Forum on American Democracy.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/usm-forum-on-american-democracy-free-speech-civil-liberties-and-the-future-of-democracy-a-conversation-with-nadine-strossen-president-edmondson/
LOCATION:Hannaford Hall — Abromson Community Education Center\, 88 Bedford St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community and culture,Lecture or panel discussion,Student activities
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T193000
DTSTAMP:20261030T224242Z
CREATED:20261026T194326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261030T224242Z
UID:10036722-1795109400-1795116600@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:Alternative Geographies: (Re)Imaging Place Through Passamaquoddy Image Making
DESCRIPTION:Image Sources:• Brown\, C. E. (c. 1900). Portrait of Passamaquoddy Tribal Chief Sapiel Selmore [Photograph]. Charles E. Brown Family Collection\, Tides Institute & Museum of Art\, Eastport\, ME\, United States.• Neptune\, F. J. (1798). Map by Francis Joseph Neptune\, Cobscook River\, 1798 [Map]. Maine Historical Society\, Maine Memory Network. https://www.mainememory.net/record/10832/image/10832• Altvater\, N.\, Howe\, P. McDonald\, E. (2025). Waponahkik: Wabanaki Homelands [Map].  \nPlease join the Osher Map Library in welcoming artist and scholar\, Nolan Altvater\, for the annual DiMatteo Family Lecture titled Alternative Geographies: (Re)Imaging Place through Passamaquoddy Image Making. Through engaging with Passamaquoddy knowledge and material forms of image making\, this discussion offers a different approach to understanding the history of spatial production in the Northeast that refutes spatial colonization while celebrating the continued praxis of image making by contemporary Wabanaki photography. PLEASE RSVP HERE (opens in a new tab). \nNolan Altvater (opens in a new tab)\, Passamaquoddy from Sipayik\, currently resides near Panuwapskek (Penobscot Nation Reservation). After growing up in Sipayik and what is now Aroostook County\, they attended the University of Maine studying secondary education. Following their undergraduate studies\, they spent a few years in what is now known as Cambridge at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where they received a master’s degree in education policy. They are now a current interdisciplinary studies ph.d student at the University of Maine while working in a shared position for the Passamaquoddy Cultural Heritage Museum and Maine Coast Heritage trust. Their research is interested in mobilizing Indigenous research methodologies and engaging with Passamaquoddy knowledge in order to build a framework for the care of petroglyph sites. \nWHAT: 2026 DiMatteo Family Lecture featuring Nolan Altvater\nWHERE: McGoldrick Center Salons\, 35 Bedford St. (2nd Floor)\, University of Southern Maine Portland campus\nWHEN: Thursday\, November 19\, 2026 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm\nReception from 5:30pm – 6pm\, Lecture begins at 6pm\nCOST: Free \nAll are welcome to attend this public event. Light refreshments will be served. \nParking and Public Transport:\nParking on the University of Southern Maine (USM) Portland campus is available for $4.15 per hour in Garages 1 and 2. Please visit the USM digital parking interface (opens in a new tab) to reserve your parking ahead of time. Greater Portland Metro (open in a new tab) bus lines #4 and the Husky line pickup and drop-off about a four-minute walk from the entrance of the Glickman Family Library. One-way rides on the Greater Portland Metro bus are $2.25 each way.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/alternative-geographies-reimaging-place-through-passamaquoddy-image-making/
LOCATION:McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success\, 35 Bedford Street\, Portland\, ME\, 04101
CATEGORIES:Community and culture,Lecture or panel discussion,Student activities,Visual and performing arts
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ORGANIZER;CN="Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education":MAILTO:oml-usm@maine.edu
GEO:43.662794152949;-70.27502725047
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success 35 Bedford Street Portland ME 04101;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=35 Bedford Street:geo:-70.27502725047,43.662794152949
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261121T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261121T170000
DTSTAMP:20261103T164701Z
CREATED:20261028T164312Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261103T164701Z
UID:10036724-1795253400-1795280400@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:Le petit rassemblement des artistes franco-américains: A celebration of modern expression
DESCRIPTION:The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to join us at USM’s Lewiston campus\, 51 Westminster St. on Saturday\, November 21\, 2026 at 9:30 am for a day-long event featuring a panel discussion of Franco-American creatives and workshops with local artists and writers. The event is free and open to the public\, thanks to our generous sponsors\, Maine PoutineFest\, Central Maine Federal Credit Union\, Schooner Estates\, and the Quebec Delegation in Boston. We ask that you RSVP at least one week ahead of the event! \nThe day will begin with a panel discussion with presenters Joseph Bolton\, Cindy Larock\, Jean Pouliot and Jeri Thériault discussing how their Franco-American identity informs their artistic practice. Following the panel\, there will be a Q&A with the presenters and a break for lunch\, which will be provided. After lunch\, the four panelists will lead their workshops: two at a time for 75 minutes each. Attendees will need to select which workshop they’d like to attend. We’ll begin the first two workshops at 1 pm\, followed by two more presentations at 2:30 pm. \n  \nPresenters & Workshop Descriptions: \n  \nJoseph Bolton was born in Pawtucket\, Rhode Island and growing up enjoyed hearing the stories told by his French Canadian grandparents and great aunts of a mysterious and magical place called Québec\, otherwise known as “the place we came from.” Joseph is of French-Canadian/Canadian First Nations ancestry and is inspired by the stories of his heritage. He lives in Massachusetts and enjoys hiking and skiing through Québec and New England landscapes. He has been featured on podcasts in the United States and Canada\, and Dance of Creation is the third volume of his acclaimed Old Grandmother’s Tree book series. Joseph’s workshop will focus on rediscovering your family stories and how the folklore style of storytelling tells deeper universal truths of human life. \n  \nCindy Larock has been teaching and leading traditional dancing for over 40 years\, ranging from instructing numerous apprentices as a master artist in the Maine Arts Commission’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program to presenting workshops at festivals\, schools\, and community events. She has also mentored young fiddlers\, etc.\, via a youth folk orchestra she founded in 2014. At Cindy’s workshop\, Keeping the Franco Flame Alive Through Music & Dance\, attendees will learn about what defines traditional French Canadian/Franco-American music and the dancing that it inspires\, and will also have a chance to try their hands (and feet!) at doing some Quebecois social dancing. \n  \nJean Pouliot: Born into a French-speaking parish in Manchester\, New Hampshire in the 1950s\, Jean experienced Vatican II\, French-Canadian culture in crisis and the political tumult of the 1960s. Jean’s songs\, stories\, and poems examine\, express\, and share his heritage. He holds a Bachelor’s in psychology and a Master’s degree in Catholic ministry. He is married with two grown sons\, is retired after forty years in the Technology field\, and lives in New England. His books can be found on Amazon and Substack. Jean’s workshop will guide attendees through his four-step method for translating English to French with the assistance of Google’s free version of artificial intelligence (AI). He will lead with a short lecture on AI\, its perils and its promise\, and how he navigates them. His method not only results in translated copy but provides the user with a practical tutorial in French for a work they care about\, be it a book or a letter to a French-speaking friend or family member. Users will encounter real-world examples of French grammar\, idioms\, spelling rules (e.g.\, where accents are needed) and more. AI’s real-time translation power allows users to try different solutions quickly without exhausting a human teacher’s patience. *Attendees will need to bring a piece of writing to translate and a laptop or tablet.* \n  \nJeri Thériault grew up in Waterville\, Maine. Her poetry collections include Self-Portrait as Homestead\, Radost\, my red\, and (M)OTHER. She is the editor of the anthology Wait: Poems from the Pandemic and the current poetry editor for Résonance. Her poems and reviews have appeared widely. Her honors include A Fulbright Exchange Award\, a Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship\, a Monson Arts Fellowship\, the 2022 Norwood Prize (New Ohio Review)\, and a Maine Literary Award. Jeri currently conducts cross-disciplinary workshops and collaborates with musicians and other poets in a group called MuseMusic. Jeri’s workshop\,  Using Research and/or Current Events in Creative Writing Projects\, relates to her ongoing research and writing about pre-deportation Acadian life.  Participants will discuss examples of poems and creative nonfiction or essays by authors such as Susan Howe\, Alison Hawthorn Deming\, and Ada Limón\, all of whom use research and or current events in their creative work. Workshop participants will then have one or two opportunities to begin drafts inspired by these prompts and handouts. We’ll end the workshop by sharing some of these drafts (volunteers only!). \n  \nZoom and recorded for those unable to join us live or in-person. Email Anna for more information at anna.faherty@maine.edu. \n  \nFor in-person attendance\, registration is required. Here’s a link to the registration form: https://forms.gle/NoxVw7KmTmUyD1o59.  We ask that you RSVP at least one week ahead of the event! \n  \nFor more information or to register for this event\, contact the FAC archivist\, Anna Faherty at anna.faherty@maine.edu or by phone (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters\, materials in electronic format\, etc.)\, please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/le-petit-rassemblement-des-artistes-franco-americains-a-celebration-of-modern-expression/
CATEGORIES:Community and culture,Lecture or panel discussion,Visual and performing arts
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