Council Presents Writer of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner Great ... fileher memoir, Stealing Buddha’s...

Fall 2009 | Michigan Humanities | 1

Michigan residents will soon meet Bich Minh Nguyen, author of the 2009-10 Great

Michigan Read.On October 13-17, 2009, the

Michigan Humanities Council will host Nguyen as she tours the state. In May, the Council announced its selection of her memoir, Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, as the 2009-10 Great Michigan Read.

Nguyen will kick off the tour in her former hometown of Grand Rapids. Other stops include Traverse City, Midland, Lansing, and Plymouth.

“I’m excited about the tour,” said Nguyen. “October in Michigan is beautiful, and I’m looking forward to visiting places that are new to me as well as places that are familiar, and meeting as many people as possible along the way.”

Each appearance includes a presentation by Nguyen, followed by a book signing. Books will be sold on-site.

“This is a great opportunity for Michiganians to meet the author they’ve heard so much about,” said Jan Fedewa, executive director of the Council.

The tour features stops at two colleges, one library, and two historic theaters, including the City Opera House in Traverse City and the Penn Theatre in Plymouth. All appearances are open to the public.

“We’re delighted to host Bich in Midland because she will bring her story to life on our stage,” said Melissa Barnard, director of the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in Midland. “It is truly wonderful to have an author whose visit generates so much excitement about reading.”

Stealing Buddha’s Dinner highlights the author’s immigration to Michigan as a Vietnamese refugee and her childhood in Grand Rapids. More than 150 organizations are partnering with the Council to offer supporting programs and events.

With a statewide focus on a single book, The Great Michigan Read encourages Michiganians to learn more about their state, their history, and their society. The Council’s free supporting programming focuses on three themes: immigration stories, cultural understanding, and contemporary history.

Meijer, Public Policy Associates, and the National Endowment for the Humanities are leading sponsors of The Great Michigan Read.

Fall 2009

Michigan People, Michigan PlacesMichiganHumanitiesCouncil

...our stories our lives

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Council Presents Writer of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner

Great Michigan Read Author Bich Minh Nguyen to Tour State Bich Minh Nguyen

Author TourAll events open to the public, but seating is limited; free except where noted.

GRAND RAPIDSTuesday, October 13, 7 p.m. Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus, Grand Valley State University. Contact: 616-331-3501 or www.gvsu.edu/pewcampus

TRAVERSE CITY Wednesday, October 14, 7 p.m. City Opera House. Tickets $10, free for students (with ID)Contact: 231-941-8082 or www.cityoperahouse.org

MIDLANDThursday, October 15, 7:30 p.m. Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. Contact: 989-837-3430 or www.midland-mi.org/gracedowlibrary

LANSINGFriday, October 16, 2 p.m. Dart Auditorium, Lansing Community College. Contact: 517-483-1957 or www.lcc.edu

PLYMOUTHSaturday, October 17, 1 p.m. Penn Theatre (hosted by Plymouth District Library). Contact: 734-453-0750 or www.plymouthlibrary.org

CALENDAR

Arts & Humanities Touring Program 2009-2012

Access Some of Michigan’s Best Artistic and Cultural Performers and Presenters

The newest edition of Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Directory was recently published, with 204 offerings from some of the state’s most talented performing and visual artists and humanities

presenters. The 2009-2012 edition of the directory provides the opportunity for performers and presenters to present their work in the fields of dance, music, storytelling, historical reenactment, theatre, tradition bearer, visual arts, and museum exhibitions. The directory listing includes program descriptions, negotiable fees, and contact persons.

One of the 24 different storytellers and historical reenactments in the Touring Directory is Gary Morrison from Grand Rapids, who provides dramatizations of Pulitzer Prize-winning World War II journalist, Ernie

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Bich Minh Nguyen at the official announcement of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner as the 2009-10 Great Michigan Read. Meijer Store on 28th Avenue, Grand Rapids. May 19, 2009.

Great Michigan Read Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Seeking Nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Dunlap Joins the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

The Challenge to Define the Humanities . . .3

Remembering the Polish Experience . . . . . . .4

Up From the Bottoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Touring Program 2009-2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Picturing America in Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

2008 Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

PRIME TIME® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Michigan Melting Pot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Poetry Out Loud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Contents

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Gary Morrison


119 Pere Marquette Dr.

Suite 3B

Lansing, MI 48912-1270

phone: (517) 372-7770

fax: (517) 372-0027

www.michiganhumanities.org

STAFFJan Fedewa

Executive [email protected]

Cynthia DimitrijevicGrants Director

[email protected]

Scott HirkoPublic Relations Officer

[email protected]

Greg ParkerProgram Officer

[email protected]

Phyllis Rathbun Touring Program Administrator

[email protected]

Wendi Tilden Development Director

[email protected]

Jennifer WiseFiscal Officer

[email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Judy Rapanos (Chair) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midland

Timothy J. Chester (Vice Chair) . . . . . .Grand Rapids

Sue Ann Martin (Secretary) . . . . . . .Mount Pleasant

Shaun Nethercott (Treasurer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detroit

Christine C. Albertini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grand Rapids

Edward J. Bagale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dearborn

John R. Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holland

Steven C. Brisson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cheboygan

Russell B. Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ann Arbor

Amy DeWys-VanHecke . . . . . . . Grosse Pointe Farms

Richard Dunlap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shelby Township

Eva L. Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lansing

John P. Hiner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Auburn

Susanne M. Janis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traverse City

James J. Karshner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt

Michael H. Margolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detroit

Craig McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midland

Juanita Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detroit

Erik Nordberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Calumet

Marge Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grand Rapids

Patricia Shaheen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saginaw

Karen Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traverse City

Pat Waring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grand Rapids

Marcia Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grand Rapids

VISION

The Michigan Humanities Council will be known as a unifying force throughout Michigan, whose programs help people connect with one another and the places where they live, by fostering a greater understanding and engagement in the cultures, histories, and values which tell us who we were, are, and hope to be.

MISSION

The Michigan Humanities Council connects people and communities by fostering and creating quality cultural programs.

Designed by: Media Graphics, Inc.

Lansing, MI

Teacher’s Guide: The official teacher’s guide, featuring high school teaching strategies and other resources, is now available. Register online for a printed version or download an electronic copy.

Detroit Free Press Insert: On October 9, 2009, more than 300,000 daily readers will receive a special Great Michigan Read supplement featuring an excerpt from Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, a welcome message from the author, and essays from writers Lolita Hernandez, Anne-Marie Oomen, and Mohammed Naseehu Ali. Register your organization for The Great Michigan Read or sign up your school with the Detroit Newspapers in Education program to request additional free copies.

Vietnamese in Michigan Traveling Exhibit: In October 2009, the Council will launch a traveling exhibit featuring the story of Vietnamese refugees in Michigan. Great Michigan Read partners may apply

to host the exhibit, available in four-week increments, during its 2009-10 tour. For application details, visit www.michiganhumanities.org.

Facebook: Discuss Stealng Buddha’s Dinner, keep up to date on the latest Great Michigan Read announcements, and meet other readers on www.facebook.com – just search for “Michigan Humanities Council.”

Events: Great Michigan Read partners in all areas of the state are planning scores of programs including book discussions, Vietnamese food tastings, humanities lectures, and more. See the Council’s online event calendar at www.michiganhumanities.org for events in your community.

Grants: Council quick grants of up to $500 are available to support Great Michigan Read programs related to themes in Stealing Buddha’s Dinner. See www.michiganhumanities.org/grants/quickgrants.php for details.

MichiganHumanitiesCouncil

The Michigan Humanities Council welcomes Richard Lowell Dunlap of Shelby Township

to its Board of Directors. Earlier this year, Dunlap was named the Director of Research of The Kresge Foundation. He has served in several administrative positions since joining the Foundation in 1995. Previously, Dunlap worked for the state of Michigan for almost 20 with the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Prior to coming to Michigan, he was arts program director with the Oklahoma Arts and Humanities Council and held management positions with local arts organizations in Dallas, Texas. Dunlap has an active history as a volunteer in the nonprofit cultural community, including service for ArtServe Michigan, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and the Art

Center in Mount Clemens. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Theory and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University and is a graduate of Leadership Detroit. He is also a composer, pianist, and organist.

Dunlap will serve on the Board of Directors whose responsibilities include program and proposal review, planning, fundraising, advocacy, liaison to projects, and representation of the Council at activities around the state. Six members of the Council are gubernatorial appointees while the Council Board elects 18. Dunlap began his term on May 7, 2009, and will serve through the remainder of this year.

2009-10 Great Michigan Read Update

More than 150 organizations have joined The Great Michigan Read. Your organization can join them – and request free support materials, including reader’s guides, teacher’s guides,

bookmarks, Detroit Free Press inserts, and posters – by registering at www.michiganhumanities.org.

Dunlap Joins Michigan Humanities Council

The Michigan Humanities Council is actively seeking nominations of Michigan citizens who share our commitment to our state’s history and culture to serve on the Michigan Humanities Council

Board of Directors. Board members are selected from business, government, academia, and other fields of interest. The Council seeks demographic and geographic diversity with the intent to represent the various regions and populations of Michigan.

Candidates to our 25-member board must reside in Michigan and believe in the importance of the humanities and their relevance to contemporary life. If you would like to nominate someone, or are interested yourself, please submit a resume and a letter of interest to Janice Fedewa, 119 Pere Marquette, Suite 3-B, Lansing, MI 48912 or email [email protected].

Special consideration will be given to candidates who submit their letter of interest by December 31, 2009.

Seeking Nominations



There were new ideas, talking points, and fundraising strategies discussed as Wendi Tilden, the Council’s newly hired development director, and I traveled throughout the state meeting with Board members. The purpose of our meetings was to introduce Wendi to the board and to seek their feedback and input as we finalize

the Council’s five-year strategic and development plans.While an ambitious effort with a few more to call upon, I think the board members’

responses to several of our questions will help guide our long-term plans: What do we mean when we talk about the humanities? If a stranger approaches you, how would you describe your role in the Council? What are the top three benefits of our work to Michigan citizens? What do you envision as the Council’s top priorities as we define our long-term fundraising goals?

The one question that always creates dialogue and a challenge to define is the humanities. Through our conversations, the humanities were described as helping people learn about others and oneself, about creating a sense of place and playing a critical role in civic discourse, or about affording us the opportunity to talk about ideas not ideologies. All these definitions capture the meaning of the humanities. Simply put: the humanities are about human ties. They help us understand the past so we can confront current issues and envision the future.

Many members see their role in the Council as an advocate for our programs and grants. Others believe it is their responsibility to harness interest in our work that will generate support, and a few see their role as the voice for the humanities in their community.

Making a difference in people’s lives, connecting others within the community, and sharing stories that help define who we are and what our lives mean are the benefits of our work.

Key to affecting change and meeting the needs of Michigan’s changing population is to raise the necessary funds to support our efforts. The Board listed their top fundraising priorities as expanding programs or strengthening the ones we have in place, building a substantial reserve fund, and establishing a permanent endowment.

These meetings were very inspiring and helpful. Not only did we discover the voice of each board member, but also we learned how significant our programs are to them and to Michiganians during these challenging times. More importantly, we observed that everyone we met with is willing to continue to dedicate time and energy to making our work meaningful and vital in communities throughout the state.

We are looking forward to working with them and Michigan citizens as we define our plans and our place within the context of our changing environment. It may be a challenge, but we are resilient and willing to do what it takes to transform the lives of our most important resource… people.

MichiganHumanitiesCouncil

Top left: “Nightwatch” by artist Lori McElrath-Eslick, inspired by “Guardian of the Lake” by Montague High School student David Hendrixion. Top right: “Chief Owassipe” by artist Pat Miller, inspired by “The Legend of Chief Owassipe’s Two Sons” by Montague High School student Kendra Pryczynski. The artwork and stories were presented as part of a Council-funded project, Reflections of White River – Its People, Their Stories, at the Nuveen Community Center for the Arts in White Lake, February 17-March 14, 2009. Below: Audience members view the premier of Council supported film documentary, Regional Roots: The Birth and Evolution of Detroit and its People, Compuware Headquarters, Detroit. May 21, 2009.

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The Challenge to Define the Humanities


Remembering the Polish Experience

The Polish Mission at Orchard Lake Schools is launching an effort to establish the Mission as America’s preeminent location for

information on Polonia – people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. A first step to reach its goal was to create a high-profile project to share the Mission’s extensive artifacts and resources with the public and create a dialogue about the history of Polish deportation. The Michigan Humanities Council awarded a $15,000 grant in support of The Polish Mission: Commemoration and Celebration, which began on September 1 at the Mission’s campus with a public commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland.

One part of this grant project is a collection of oral histories from those of the Polish diaspora that reside in metropolitan

Detroit. The collection will be published on the Internet, in a guidebook, and incorporated into school lesson plans. The lesson plans will align with

K-12 education in the language arts, social studies, and fine arts. Documents used in the collection and lesson plans will include primary documents, such as government documents, photographs, and letters. It will also feature the importance of Scouting in the Polish community, with a comparison of Polish badges to American Scouting.

The Polish Mission’s oral history collection is Michigan’s contribution to an international effort to collect and publish the story of Polish diaspora by

the Kresy-Siberia Foundation (www.kresy-siberia.org). “Many of these are Michigan stories of neighbors and friends,” said Ceil Jensen, director of Michigan Polonia. “For instance, a number of the people were born in Michigan to Polish U.S. immigrants. They returned to Poland after World War I because they expected to live in the newly independent Poland. When Germany invaded the country on Sept. 1, 1939 and the Soviet Union several weeks later, that dream came to an end.”

One oral history was presented by Bozena Maria Kzoubska, born in the Kresy region of Poland. Kzoubska was a baby in 1939 when the Soviets invaded shortly after the German Blitzkrieg. Her mother’s memoirs described their ordeal as they were deported by the Soviets because of their economic well-being and high regard in the community. Kzoubska describes her family’s struggles on a five-week trip to Siberia on cattle wagons, “packed in like sardines on top of bunks,” lacking sanitation, food, and medical care. The family was among two million Poles deported to Russia, which preceded their deportation to Uzbekistan, Iran, Mozambique, Rhodesia, and the United Kingdom.

Kzoubska’s father joined the Polish army 1943– this resulted in a permanent dislocation from their homeland because postwar, Communist Poland would not accept the return of many Polish WWII veterans. The Kzoubskas arrival in metropolitan Detroit in 1952 was the final stop on their journey.

“These records need to be documented and the story needs to be shared with the people of Michigan,” said Jensen. “The Council’s support was of key importance for us to create this project; our community would not have been represented in this global project without it.”

For more information on the archives and the collections of the Polish Mission at Orchard Lake Schools, visit the website at www.polishmission.com.

“These records need to be documented and the story needs to be shared with the people of Michigan.”

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Another Council-supported project receiving national recognition is the documentary, Up

From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream, by Grand Valley State University. The documentary was viewed in August at both the Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Michigan Film Festival. The film tells the story of the African Americans migration to Muskegon in the 1940s to

1960s, including how black businesses flourished out of the homes of residents and the popularity of the jazz clubs that drew people in from all areas. To view a trailer of the clip and learn more about the project, visit the Council’s online media archives or link to www.upfromthebottoms.com.

Up From the Bottoms

Below: The Kozubski family (from left): Jerzy, Zofia, and Bozena (on motorcycle).

Left: Polish Army World War II veteran Jerzy Kozubski.

“ It All Began In Poland” Commemoration

Above: Polish Veterans and Scouts gather to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland. They participated in a traditional Polish Wypominki which included the reading the names of family members who suffered in Poland during World War II.

Above Right: The helmet on display bares the band of the Armia Krajowa (the Home Army, literally translated as the Country’s Army), abbreviated “AK”, the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland.

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The Polish Mission at Orchard Lake Schools’ commemoration weekend included photo history and oral history presentations and a

discussion of the role of the arts in the lives of the deported Poles. It included the opening of two fine art collections by internationally-acclaimed artists who survived multiple concentration camps: Jan Komski (1915-2002) and Adam Grochowski (1924-1992). Following the war, Komski served as an artist for the Washington Post and also painted scenes of the brutality in the concentration camps. Grochowski earned fame as a leading paint-by-numbers artist for the Palmer Paint Company, but was also a fine artist. A signature mural allowed displaced people and veterans to sign tiles created by Pewabic Pottery. The Mission buried a time capsule which is to be opened at the 100th commemoration of the Nazi invasion. The capsule ceremony included a wypominki (a Polish tradition of honoring the dead for a future memorial), readings of “Lightening and Ashes” and “Third Winter of War: Buchenwald” by poet John Guzlowski, and an evening concert by organist Curtis Posuniak.

Artist Adam Grochowski (1924-1992).

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Remembering the Polish Experience

In addition to the Touring Directory, the Michigan Humanities Council is awarding grants to Michigan nonprofit organizations

(including schools, libraries, museums, cultural centers, and municipalities) to help cover costs of engaging performers or presenters listed in the Directory for arts and cultural programs.

Nonprofit organizations may request up to 40 percent of a performer, presenter, or exhibitor’s fee and travel expense, with a limit of $4,000 per organization in the next year and no more than $3,000 per application.

Applications are currently being accepted to fund programs through September 30, 2010, until funding is exhausted. For more information on the touring directory and grant support, visit www.michiganhumanities.org/programs/touring.

Presenters were formally adjudicated by peer review in January 2009. A listing in Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Directory is not an endorsement by the Michigan Humanities Council or the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, nor are the Councils responsible for program content and/or incorrect information.

Bring Culture to Your Community With Grant Money

Pyle. Morrison sends playbills to his intended audience in advance of the presentation to educate them about the intended performance. “The dramatization allows people to see Ernie Pyle as he was the day before he was killed on the island of Ie Shima, Okinawa.” said Morrison. He mixes Pyle’s stories of the Nazi Blitzkrieg, and World War II combat in Italy and North Africa through the media’s perspective at that time. “One of the stories I share was of Pyle’s highly-publicized story about Captain Henry T. Wascow of Texas, killed in combat in Italy in 1943. The story was emblematic of Pyle’s style, and helped to personalized the war by embedding the front line reactions to Wascow’s death in the every day realities of war,” said Morrison.

Morrison’s presentations are frequently to high schools or veterans groups, and the reactions are both educational and personal. “High school students can learn more about the war through Ernie’s stories about how soldiers lived, and actually what it was like to live on the front,” said Morrison. Veterans at his presentations have shared their stories, and sometimes their own artifacts, to present to other audiences. An important part of Morrison’s discussion is the difference in the media and the portrayal of combat in Iraq or Afghanistan by today’s media compared to the complications and delays in communication experienced by Pyle in World War II. “I ask students to pay attention to how Ernie wrote, his metaphors, his similes, and how he used words to convey his message.”

Another presenter in the Touring Directory is Tom Woodruff, who has presented his Great

Lakes Illustration Workshops to K-12 schools and communities since 1987. Woodruff has researched and illustrated several Michigan and Great Lakes history books. He brings his work to audiences through a unique writing, illustrating, and storytelling presentation. “I have always used art as a learning tool, and now I use it as a teaching tool,” said Woodruff.

In schools, Woodruff works with teachers to create programs that meet classroom needs. “I’m inspired by kids and the natural world around me – I like to teach observation skills through nature journaling,” said Woodruff. An example is his workshop on Prehistoric Great Lakes, which meets the state’s earth science curriculum requirements and results in an eight-page book exploring paleontology. Students dig through piles of shale to discover and research real fossils. “I use

the ancient rocks with writing and drawing skills to illuminate prehistory,” said Woodruff.

The Touring Program offers a unique opportunity for Morrison and Woodruff to be featured as quality resources for communities across Michigan. “Being selected to be a part of it adds validity to my presentation,” said Morrison. “Host sites know they are getting someone

“I’m inspired by kids and the natural world around me – I like to teach observation skills through nature journaling...”

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Arts & Humanities Touring Program 2009-2012

Far Left: Ernie Pyle. Left: Gary Morrison as Ernie Pyle.

Production photos of interviews with Dick Gregory (at left) and Hazel Landingham (below) for Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream.

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that has been approved by their peers, out in the market already.” Added Woodruff, “The Touring Program’s distribution shares a wide selection of artistic talent for event planners and teachers from which to choose. It shows how important art can be in our society through linking the arts to academics and community programs.”

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$10,000-$25,000Arnold & Gertrude Boutell Memorial Fund

(Citizens Bank Wealth Management)Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow FoundationThe Steelcase Foundation

$1,000-$9,999Alden B. & Vada B. Dow Creativity

FoundationASA Consulting Group LLCTimothy ChesterValerie EggertDTE EnergyJean EnrightJan & Ron FedewaFrey FoundationHarvey Randall Wickes FoundationSusanne Janis Michigan State University Alumni

AssociationMichigan State University College of

Arts and LettersMichigan State University LibrariesMichigan State University PressMargaret PotterLarry V. ShayMary & Steele TaylorUniversity of Michigan-DearbornMarilyn L. Williamson Wickson-Link Memorial FoundationWisconsin Energy Corporation

Foundation, Inc.

$500-$999ACCESSChristine & Peter AlbertiniBrooks Family Community FundMarlee BrownGeorgia & Jeff Geitzen

Grand Rapids Public LibraryGrand Valley State UniversityJames KarshnerDeb & Dan MankoffSue Ann MartinMichigan Sugar CompanyJudith A. RapanosResidential College in the Arts and

Humanities at Michigan State University

Patricia ShaheenKaren E. SmithTemple Theatre

$250-$499The A. Alfred Taubman FoundationDr.& Mrs. William Anderson Ed BagaleTimothy Chester & Henry MatthewsEdsel & Eleanor Ford HouseBarbara Heller Medical Data Entry, LLCLinda & Michael MargolinNancy & Richard PantaleoPublic Policy Associates, Inc.Ramada Inn & SuitesPatricia & Peter P. RenucciEstelle & Kelvin Smyth

$100-$249AnonymousSue & Bob BindusBlue Water RamblersSusan K. BromanMary Bruno

Diane & Rob Collier E. Jane ConnellJane & Phil Cummings Cynthia DimitrijevicKayem DunnEva EvansDede FeldmanCaryl & Robert Ferguson Dan GerberMarjorie GoebelRobert GoodrichTia D. & Michael W. GrassGoria A. GregoryKenneth R. Gross

Hamilton Anderson AssociatesRose & David Handleman Ellen & Douglas Haneline Janet HaynesMary Lynn HeiningerValerie HemingwayHenry Ford Community CollegeDennis M. HertelGwen W. & John D. HibbardSimone Himbeault & Bradley L. TaylorScott Hirko & Mary Jo SougstadNan L. Hunt David IppelInternational Kids Alliance NetworkDrs. Ora & Courtney JonesThe Kane GroupAnn R. KiewelMrs. & Mrs. Donald KoschJenny KronkMilton G. Laible

Marilyn R. LaughlinLinda & Scott LaFontseeLiebler Family FoundationDaniel LittleMarsha MacDowell & C. Kurt

DewhurstMagic Carpet TheatreManer, Costerisan & Ellis, P.C.Wendy & Omar MartyHenry Matthews Annette & Jim McConnellMargaret D. McIntire Mary McLoughlinMary Mertz-Smith & Gavin J. SmithBonnie K. MillerJames N. MillerKeith MolinDiana & W. David MooreMotorCities National Heritage AreaElizabeth & Mark Murray

Shaun NethercottErik NordbergGregg OrrLinda & Rocky OtisPointe Aux Barques Lighthouse SocietyConnie & Gregory ParkerPhyllis RathbunCarol & Douglas Rearick Scott RobertsKarol & Doug RossSharon RossMarjorie & William SandyJudie & Bill Saul Mike Schmidt & Theresa FraleyJames Schmiechen Sharp DesignsJudith Sima Tom SmallAnn & Don StormzandKate & Tom ThoresenAnshu Varma

Marcia WarnerNancy WiremanAleicia & Robert WoodrickJohn Wright

Under $100Catherine AndersonAnonymousBarnes & Noble BooksellersJohn W. Bergstrom Jennifer & Frank BloswickTeresa BuistBarbara Ann CallHelena T.J. ColemanWilliam Craft Connie & Michael Cron C.S. Lewis Festival, Inc.Dayton Foundation Depository, Inc.Cynthia DoddJohn D. DingellJeanette G. Fleury Lora Frankel Gerald R. Ford

Presidential Library & Museum

John F. GerhardtSarah GormanSuzanne HaskewDorothy Heinlen Booker HintonIris & David Horner Lois Sprengnether KeelDon LeDuc Janet A. Lee Viki LorraineNorma MattesonDiana McBroomBarbara MeadJane & Ron Means Doris & Bruce MillerMary A. O’RourkeCynthia E. Patton Elizabeth ProulxArt Puotinen Republic Area

Historical SocietyCharlotte H. Rosenthal Ruth & Richard SanterMary C. SuchenekCaroline & Dean SmithBarb Stone Molly & Steve ParkerWilliam TennantElaine & Nick Thomopoulos Jeff TomboulianJudith L. WebbMargaret WeinerWest Midland Family CenterJennifer WiseFrank YonJudith L. Zimpfer

Contributions During the Fiscal Year 2008

The Council makes every attempt to account for all financial contributions. If record of your donation does not appear above or is inaccurate, we apologize and ask that you contact us to correct the mistake.

November 1, 2007 to October 31, 2008 Fundraising success requires broad-based support. Annual gifts help support public humanities programs and events throughout the entire state. The Michigan Humanities Council depends on the generosity of many donors.

Financial StatementFiscal year ending October 31, 2008

Revenue and Expenses

Revenue:

NEH $953,822MCACA $185,397Gift income $95,693Interest income $8,064Program and misc. income $439Endowment $2,600Total revenue $1,246,015

Expenses:

Program services and grants $967,741Management and general $234,031Fundraising $17,332Total expenses $1,219,104Increase in net assets $43,371

We are grateful to each of you!

The story behind America’s great works of art – from Anasazi pottery (circa 1100) to Martin Puryear’s Ladder for Booker T. Washington sculpture (1996) – is the story of America itself.

This is the idea behind the Michigan Humanities Council’s programs for schools participating in Picturing America, a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) initiative that helps students gain a deeper understanding of America’s history through the study and understanding of America’s art.

Nearly 2,000 Michigan schools have received a set of large-format reproductions of American masterpieces, along with a companion teacher’s guide, from the NEH. The Council’s programs help these schools make the most of the prints.

For the 2008-09 school year, Picturing America in Michigan programs included:

• MuseumPartnershipProgram:Nearly4,500studentsfrom78schoolsparticipated in programs at 12 of the state’s leading art museums that emphasized connections with American history.

• TeacherSeminarSeries:102teachersparticipatedinarthistoryworkshopsin East Lansing, Marquette, Jackson, and Ann Arbor.

• Picturing Your Community in America Documentary Film Program: Students in 11 high schools ranging from Grand Marais to Harper Woods worked with Michigan Television producers to create short films depicting unique aspects of their community. View the shorts at www.michiganhumanities.org/programs/picturingamerica.

The Council will continue the museum partnership program through December 31, 2009. Up to 40 eligible schools will receive up to $500 to participate in museum programs that utilize art as a vehicle for exploring American history.

The Museum Partnership Program offers museum and in-school pro-grams that utilize American art as a vehicle for exploring American

history. Eligible Picturing America schools and libraries may apply for programs taking place before December 31, 2009 (submit application four weeks in advance). Download a program directory and application at www.michiganhumanities.org/programs/picturingamerica.

Fall 2009 Museum Partnership Grants• DennosMuseumCenter(TraverseCity)• DetroitInstituteofArts• DeVosArtMuseum(Marquette)• EllaSharpMuseumofArtandHistory

(Jackson)• FlintInstituteofArts• GrandRapidsArtMuseum• KalamazooInstituteofArts

• KresgeArtMuseum (East Lansing)

• MichiganLegacyArtPark(Thompsonville)

• MuskegonMuseumofArt• SaginawArtMuseum• UniversityofMichiganMuseum

of Art (Ann Arbor)

Programs are available from the following museums:

Ladder for Booker T. Washington, 1996, by Martin Puryear

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Picturing America in Michigan Merges Art and History


The state of Michigan mimics American society as a melting

pot of cultures and ethnicities from around the world. Finding ways to learn more about who we are – to understand our similarities and differences – helps to define ourselves individually and collectively. The Michigan Humanities Council embraces this mission through its Great Michigan Read, in which everyone reads the same book of Michigan literature.

This year’s Great Michigan Read, Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, by Bich Minh Nguyen, is a perfect selection to discuss our melting pot. Nguyen’s memoir is an avenue to critical dialogue about our cultural identity, and who we are as citizens of Michigan. She helps us understand who she is through the unique perspective of cultural food experiences: her family’s Vietnamese traditions and her exposure to mass-marketed American cuisine.

It makes me pause and think: How do I define who I am? Coming from a family of immigrants myself, I can relate to some of Nguyen’s perspectives. Her memoir provided me with a tool to consider my own place in Michigan and in American society.

I look forward to expanding my own thoughts through my community’s participation in the

Great Michigan Read. In the last program, the Tri-Cities area celebrated Ernest Hemingway’s Nick Adams Stories with programs to engage the public and students, and concluded with a visit by author Valerie Hemingway to Saginaw’s Temple Theatre. This fall, students at Delta College and Hemlock High School, along with patrons of the Bay County libraries and the Bay Arenac Reading Council, will use Stealing Buddha’s Dinner to discuss immigration stories,

learn about cultural similarities and differences, and investigate contemporary history.

On October 15, we welcome Bich Minh Nguyen to Midland for one of her five public stops on her Michigan tour. The opportunity comes from the Michigan Humanities Council and the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library.

The Tri-Cities region joins the rest of Michigan in The Great Michigan Read and reading Stealing Buddha’s Dinner to learn more about ourselves and others. I invite you to see Bich at one of the five sites, or to participate in a community program. Ask your local library, cultural organization, or book club to join. Together, we all make up what we call Michigan – so, let’s learn more about each other through literature.

The Michigan Melting Pot and the Great Michigan ReadBy Patricia Anne Shaheen, Michigan Humanities Council Board of Directors

PRIME TIME® Helps Families Understand Being Together

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The Upside Down Boy, or El niño de cabeza, by Juan Felipe Herrera, is used in the last week of the PRIME TIME® curriculum to set a context for a discussion about compassion.

Help us by investing today!

or, contribute on-line atwww.michiganhumanities.org

You can help bring public humanities programs and more to Michigan and to your community by making a tax-deductible donation as a Friend of the Humanities in Michigan. Contributions will be recognized on the Council website and in a following newsletter.

Friend name ❑ Please list my name as “anonymous.”

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*Please make your check payable to the Michigan Humanities Council.

I’d like my gift to support:

❑ Please use my gift where needed (or designate a program below)

❑ The Great Michigan Read ❑ Arts & Humanities Touring Program

❑ Endowment ❑ PRIME TIME®

❑ I would consider making a gift to MHC through my estate plan or will. Please contact me.

Giving Levels:

❑ Sage ($1,000+) ❑ Philosopher ($500-$999) ❑ Master ($250-$499)

❑ Mentor ($100-$249) ❑ Scholar ($50-$99) ❑ Other: ($1-$49)

Mail this form to:

Michigan Humanities Council119 Pere Marquette Dr., Suite 3B


I Want to Support the Council

In September and October, the Butman-Fish Library in Saginaw will be the fourth library in the state to

host the successful PRIME TIME Family Reading Time®, a Michigan Humanities Council initiative designed to help families bond around the act of reading and talking about books. In the Spring, PRIME TIME® reached a total of 70 participants and 20 families at the Hoyt Public Library in Saginaw, and 81 participants and 22 families at the Conley Branch Library in Detroit. The South Haven Memorial Library also participated during the summer.

“This program really helped [one set of parents] reconcile and concentrate on doing things as a family,” said Rhonda Butler, PRIME TIME® coordinator at the Hoyt Library in Saginaw. “It created discussion between the parents and it helped them to understand the importance of being together as a family. It touched my heart.”

PRIME TIME Family Reading Time® models and encourages family reading and discussion of humanities topics amongst non-library users, and aids parents and children in selecting books and becoming active public library users. The six-week curriculum includes a storyteller and scholar who introduce themes through books, such as responsibility, ingenuity, kinship, loyalty, and compassion.

“Our patrons left convinced that reading books would improve their children’s lives, from doing better in school to understanding the world in which we live,” said storyteller Flor Walker, who participated at the Conley Branch Library in Detroit. Added Jackie Sullen, PRIME TIME® coordinator at the Conley Library: “Parents expressed they were amazed to gain so much meaning from simple children’s stories.”

Resources for Michigan Humanities Council PRIME TIME® programs were made possible in part by PRIME TIME® Inc., an affiliate of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Library Association.

Families interested in participating in the PRIME TIME® program at the Butman-Fish Library in Saginaw are invited to register by calling 989-799-9160.


Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for Humanities.

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Michigan People, Michigan PlacesMichiganHumanitiesCouncil

...Our Stories, Our Lives

Join the 4,000 student participants in Michigan’s Poetry Out Loud

An estimated 2,725 students participated in Michigan’s Poetry Out Loud from 32 schools. Students who returned evaluations reported:

97% could understand and explain different poetic elements.•

97% developed their own individual interpretation of poems.•

87% saw connections between poetry and everyday culture.•

67% understood that poetry can be a powerful tool for •expression.

55% understood that poems meet different purposes and •were led to explore challenging and unfamiliar poems.

View a three-minute video documentary of Poetry Out Loud, created by the Michigan Humanities Council in partnership with Michigan Media, at www.michiganhumanities.org or on the Council’s YouTube site, www.youtube.com/michiganhumanities

Facts and Figures From 2008-2009 Michigan’s Poetry Out Loud

In its four years, Michigan’s Poetry Out Loud has reached more than 4,000 high students with some of the world’s greatest poetry. The program encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance,

and competition. It helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Now, the Michigan Humanities Council invites English and language arts teachers to add Poetry Out Loud to their 2009-2010 curriculum. Participating high schools will receive: a print and online poetry anthology; an instructional program guide; an audio CD featuring distinguished actors and writers; and, promotional and media materials. Each school champion will advance to the state competition. The state winner will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC to compete for the national championship.

To participate, apply online at: www.michiganhumanities.org or email [email protected] or call 517-372-7770 with questions.

Each of Michigan’s champions advanced to the national finals, held annually in Washington, DC. Their testimony speaks volumes:

Poetry Out Loud

Travis Walter, Holt High School. 2006 Michigan champion. “After I read a poem, it motivates me to write poetry. If it stirs my emotions, it propels me to try to understand the meaning of the poem and what the poet was attempting to say.”

Charles White, Forest Hills Central (Grand Rapids) High School. 2008 Michigan champion. “I realized the power of poetry in reading it. It is different reading a poem in your mind, then taking the poem and learning it by heart. Recitation helped me to become the poem in and of itself.”

Sarah Harris, Holt High School. 2007 Michigan champion. “I love softball, but Poetry Out Loud provided a unique and creative opportunity. Poetry allows me to create through characterization, to play a part. In sports, you live for a short moment of glory. But in poetry, you can create, live, and relive every moment.”

David Bellomy, Cass Technical (Detroit) High School. 2009 Michigan champion. “The journey from understanding a poem, from then to now, allows me to take the poem and relate it to my life.”

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Great Michigan Read Author Tour & Updates

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Council Grant helps support the Polish Mission at Orchard Lake Schools

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Picturing America in Michigan Museum Partnership

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1and5Arts & Humanities Touring Grants Available

In this Issue

Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the Michigan Humanities Council, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the State Library of Michigan, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Poetry Foundation, and the Michigan Youth Arts Association.

Council Presents Writer of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner Great ... fileher memoir, Stealing Buddha’s...

Documents

Transcript of Council Presents Writer of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner Great ... fileher memoir, Stealing Buddha’s...