We have to get very close to the mic.
Good evening, everyone.
As we get ourselves settled, it looks
like we have just about enough seats, which
is a great thing, that it's a nice problem
to have not enough seats.
Just a reminder, if you can silence your phone or turn it
off, that'd be a very nice thing for y'all to do.
My name is Manuel Muñoz.
I'm the director of the Prose Series for this academic year.
Welcome to the third reading of the year.
Happy new year, if we have not crossed paths.
And before I welcome Lucy Kirkman, who's
a student in our program to introduce our esteemed guest,
I'm here to give the thanks.
This Prose Series is not possible without the help
of a lot of people.
First and foremost, Poetry Center,
thank you for the logistics of just giving us
this night and this space.
Creative writing, Aurelie Sheehan, Ander Monson,
especially for these beautiful broadsides.
As we have been here, Ander and I now 10 years,
11 years together, these are becoming collector's items.
I'm telling you.
There's just so many beautiful--
it's a beautiful archive of who's
come through this space in the service of prose.
So one more that he's given to us.
Who else do we have to thank?
Over the course of the year, several units across campus of
helped us get funding.
That would be department of English, creative writing,
as I said before.
The Institute for LGBT studies here on campus, poets
and writers nationally.
I'm very grateful to the Adalberto and Ana Guerrero
Student Center, that was a huge collaboration for us
that they were happy to co-sponsor this year.
Department of Mexican-American Studies as well.
And especially, I want to thank you,
Alison, for this reading for tonight,
the Haury Program in the Environmental Studies
and Social Justice.
Thank you, Alison, for making that possible.
And also to remind you on April 11,
the final reading for the academic year is Cherríe
Moraga.
What I anticipated in summer is going
to be bigger than I thought.
Meaning, she got a starred review in Kirkus just a couple
of weeks ago.
This book is going to be huge, and she's
going to come here, which I think is so fantastic.
So anyway, we'll see you in a couple of months,
or you'll see me in a couple of months.
Until then, Lucy, adelante.