UW News

November 8, 2023

ArtSci Roundup: Diversity Lecture Series, Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening, Sacred Breath, and more.

This week, attend the Diversity Lecture Series “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States”, celebrate the Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening, listen to Indigenous storytellers at Sacred Breath, and more.


November 13, 3:00 – 4:30pm | Diversity Lecture Series: “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States: Disparities and Challenges in Women’s Health”, Online

In this Diversity Lecture Series, Denova Collaborative Health’s executive director, Angela Roumain, will explore the maternal rate of illness and rate of death in the United States, including health complications and harmful outcomes that can occur during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum. Poor maternal health outcomes affects Black and Indigenous women and women of color significantly more, and Roumain will highlight this stark and deeply rooted problem in the United States’ healthcare system.

Free | RSVP & More info


November 13, 3:30 – 5:00pm | Melanie Walsh and Maria Antoniak, “Large Language Models for Humanists: A Hands-On Introduction” | An AI, Creativity, and the Humanities Workshop, Communications Building

The Simpson Center for the Humanities presents the AI, Creativity, and the Humanities Workshop. The workshop offers a hands-on, technical introduction to large language models (LLMs) for humanities researchers, led by Melanie Walsh, an Assistant Professor in the Information School and co-Principal Investigator of the National Endowment for the Humanities-funded AI for Humanists project, and Maria Antoniak, a Young Investigator at the Allen Institute for AI. Walsh and Antoniak will focus on building practical knowledge of (1) how these models work and how they are trained and (2) how practitioners can apply particularly for these models to humanistic texts.

Free | More info


November 14, 5:30 – 7:00pm | Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening Celebration, Jacob Lawrence Gallery

Join the School of Art + Art History + Design to celebrate the official reopening of the Jacob Lawrence Gallery. Dedicated to Professor Jacob Lawrence, the gallery is a space for education, social justice, and experimentation, honoring the memory of one of the School’s most beloved faculty. The newly transformed gallery, now equipped with climate control, modern lighting, and new exhibition infrastructure, was made possible by the generous supporters of the UW Art + Music Capital Campaign.

Free | More info


November 14, 6:30 – 8:00pm | Jack O’Dell and the Black Radical Tradition – Fall 2023 Reading Group, Washington State Labor Council 

The Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies is hosting a reading group focused on the writings of Jack O’Dell in anticipation for the Reckoning with the Black Radical Tradition Conference, which will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at the UW.
Jack O’Dell (1923-2019) was a visionary intellectual and an astute organizer who helped shape the course of the Black freedom movement in the second half of the twentieth century. Though driven out of the spotlight by anticommunism, O’Dell worked creatively and tirelessly to advance the Black Radical Tradition through labor activism, piercing analysis, and political mobilization.

Free | More info


November 15, 3:00 – 5:00pm | Die Standing Book Release Event, Communications Building

The Department of American Ethnic Studies is proud to sponsor a book talk at the Simpson Center with author Elmer Dixon. Rick Bonus, chair of the Department of American Ethnic studies and professor, will be speaking to Dixon about his new book: “Die Standing: From Black Panther Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant.” Students and faculty in the Department of Ethnic Studies are encouraged to attend this event.

Free | RSVP & More info


November 16, 5:00 – 8:00pm | Sacred Breath: Indigenous Writing and Storytelling Series, wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House 

The Department of American Indian Studies hosts an annual literary and storytelling series, Sacred Breath, which features Indigenous writers and storytellers sharing their craft at the beautiful wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House on the UW campus. This year, Christopher B. Teuton (Cherokee Nation), professor and chair of the Department of American Indian Studies, and Tami Hohn (Puyallup), assistant teaching professor of the Department of Indian Studies, will be leading the event. Both storytelling and reading aloud can impact audiences through the power of presence, allowing for the experience of the transfer of sacred breath, as audiences are immersed in the experience of being inside stories and works of literature.

Free | RSVP & More info


November 16, 6:00 – 7:00pm | Kristine Matthews: What Do You Make of This?, Jacob Lawrence Gallery

The Jacob Lawrence Gallery presents What Do You Make of This? featuring the work of Kristine Matthews, Associate Professor of Design and Chair of the Visual Communication Design program at the UW School of Art + Art History + Design.

Free | More info


November 16 – 18, 8:00 pm | Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca: Searching for Goya, Meany Hall

Inspired by the drawings and paintings of Francisco de Goya, Noche Flamenca’s new work references the artist’s response to the political turmoil and injustices of 18th and 19th century Spain, echoing conflict prevalent in contemporary time. Choreographed by artistic director Martin Santangelo and award-winning principal dancer Soledad Barrio, Searching for Goya features a company of dancers, singers, and musicians whose mastery of flamenco stretches the boundaries of the art form to a journey through Goya’s imagination.

Buy Tickets | More info & Registration


November 16, 7:00 – 8:30pm | Lecture: What can Jewish Mothers Teacher Us About Jewish Origins and Ethnicities?, Thomson Hall

The Stroum Center celebrates its 50th anniversary with a discussion on how putting mothers at the center of Jewish history can provide unexpected insights and startlingly unfamiliar perspectives. From ancient biblical narratives to cutting-edge genomic research, author Cynthia Baker will point out how this is especially true in relation to issues of race/ethnicity and its entanglements with gender, religion, and nationality.

Free | More info & Registration


October – November | “Ways of Knowing” Podcast: Episode 5

“Ways of Knowing” is an eight-episode podcast connecting humanities research with current events and issues. This week’s episode is with José Alaniz, professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, analyzes the physical depictions of superheroes and villains through the decades.

This season features faculty from the UW College of Arts & Sciences as they explore race, immigration, history, the natural world—even comic books. Each episode analyzes a work, or an idea, and provides additional resources for learning more.

More info


Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu)

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