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Explore The Quirky, Incredible World Of Adult Fans Of LEGO With Jonathan Bender, Author Of "LEGO: A Love Story"
There are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world, and at age 30, Jonathan Bender realized that he didn't have a single one of them. While reconsidering his childhood dream of becoming a master model builder for The LEGO Group, he discovers the men and women who are skewing the averages with collections of hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks. What is it about the ubiquitous, brightly colored toys that make them so hard for everyone to put down? Join as for a fun filled evening as Jonathan relates the LEGO adventures and discusses his new book "LEGO: A Love Story." The event will include a book signing and books will be on sale.In search of answers and adventure, Jonathan Bender set out to explore the quirky world of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) while becoming a builder himself. As he participated in challenges at fan conventions, searched for the largest private collection in the United States, and visited LEGO headquarters (where he was allowed into the top secret set vault), he found his LEGO journey twinned with a second creative endeavor--to have a child. His two worlds intertwined as he awaited the outcome: Will he win a build competition or bring a new fan of LEGO into the world? Like every really good love story, this one has surprises--and a happy ending. Ann Arbor also features prominently in the story, as Ann Arbor's own BRICK BASH was one of the first events Bender attended as he was getting back into LEGO. Bender's back for BRICK BASH 2011, which is Saturday, 3/19 at WCC!Whether you're an avid LEGO freak or a onetime fan who now shares LEGO bricks with your children, this book will appeal to the inner builder in you and reignite a love for all things LEGO.
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Graphic Artist Matt Dembicki Discusses "Trickster: Native American Tales"
"Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection" is an amazing collection of more than 20 Native American tales cleverly adapted into comic form. Each story is written by a different Native American storyteller who worked closely with a selected illustrator, a combination that gives each tale a unique and powerful voice and look. Ranging from serious and dramatic to funny and sometimes fiendish, these tales bring tricksters back into popular culture in a very vivid form. This unique collection of Indian lore was conceived and edited by cartoonist Matt Dembicki, the founder of DC Conspiracy, a comic creators' collaborative in Washington, DC. Matt will be here to discuss this work, the Indian lore which inspired it, and what it takes to create a graphic novel.
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American Sons: Reflections On Being Muslim In America
Co-sponsored by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, this event, moderated by Dr. Sherman Jackson, will feature five Michigan men from various ethnic backgrounds who will discuss being Muslim in America from their own experiences and local perspectives. Dr. Sherman Jackson is currently the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Visiting Professor of Law and Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Michigan. Other panelists include Ann Arbor resident, teacher and administrator Khidr Naeem; UM Graduate and Film Producer, Chris Abdur-Rahman Blauvelt; local attorney, Haaris Ahmad; local doctor, Asad Tarsin; and medical professional, Shamael Haque.
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American Daughters: Reflections On Being Muslim in America
Featuring Heather Laird and co-sponsored by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, this event will feature speakers who will discuss being Muslim in America from their own experiences and local perspectives. Discussion will center on the diversity of our community, how Muslims deal with the issues of multiculturalism, and the tensions and barriers that exist in tackling this issue both within the Muslim community and the broader community. How these issues affect youth as well as adults will also be a focus of this important discussion.Heather Laird is the Director for the Summer Arabic Institute, and a Fellow for the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). Heather will be joined in this discussion by several area Muslim women.
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Ignite Second Stage: The Silver Age of American Jewish Music is Happening Now! And You're Missing It!
Jewish music is exploding. Bands and labels and venues are multiplying. Rock. Hip Hop. Reggae. Punk. Klezmer. Sephardic. Choral. Jazz. Chassidic-Pop. Bible-gum. Beat Box. House. Socialist Yiddish Gothic. Indie. A revolution is happening but we're scattered across a big nation with no common media to connect us....except the net. Will it be enough? Jack Zaientz, an Ann Arbor area research scientist who blogs about contemporary Jewish Music, will introduce you to some of the most amazing new Jewish music that you've never heard.This Extended Play version of Jack's recent 5 minute Ignite Ann Arbor talk will be loaded with more music, a road-map of the contemporary Jewish Music scene, a case study in social-networking Jewish Music, and the greatest Jewish song you've never heard.
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Ben Huh, Founder of Failblog.org & icanhascheezburger.com
Ben Huh - the Internet mogul behind the hit blogs - I Can Haz Cheezburger (also known as the LOL Cats blog) and FAILBlog will discuss his life as an Internet content connoisseur, what that means, and how he got started as the leader of a media empire. Huh founded his company, Pet Holdings, Inc., in 2007 and grew it into one of the largest blog networks in the world in less than two years -- while making a profit during one of the deepest recessions.He has been credited with bringing Internet memes to the mainstream and popularizing Internet culture. Huh is not shy about crediting the success of his company to the users and fans of his sites. His goal is to make the world happy for 5-minutes a day.
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Author Gregory Orfalea Discusses His New Book: Angeleno Days - An Arab American Writer on Family, Place & Politics
There are more than 400,000 Arab Americans in Los Angeles--the largest contingent in America outside of Detroit. In his new book, 'Angeleno Days: An Arab American Writer On Family, Place And Politics,' Gregory Orfalea explores his own community and its political and social concerns. He agonizes over another destruction of Lebanon and examines in searing detail a massacre of civilians in Iraq. Books will be on sale at the event, which will also include a booksigning.Gregory Orfalea directed the Writing Program at Pitzer College of the Claremont Colleges, and currently teaches Arab American Literature at Georgetown University.
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The Development Of Multicultural Children's Literature With EMU Professor Sheila Most
Multicultural literature for children has blossomed in the twenty-first century, yet books about many large groups of ethnic Americans still remain underrepresented. This lecture by Dr. Sheila Most of Eastern Michigan University will discuss the beginnings of multicultural books for children, influences on their development, awards for multicultural children's books, the role of publishers, important issues in multicultural children's books, and continuing needs for the future. This event is held in conjunction with the exhibit 'The Future Of Our Past: The Evolution Of Multicultural Children's Literature,' on display in the Downtown Library lower lever glass cases through November 29.
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Detroit Derby Girls Rock!
The Detroit Derby Girls, established in early 2005, is an all-female owned and operated flat track roller derby league. Over 60 skaters strong, the Detroit Derby Girls are part of the national rebirth of roller derby. Drew Barrymore's new film 'Whip It' (based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross) was filmed in Detroit, centers on life on the roller derby track and features several of the actual Detroit Derby Girls! Join us, the evening before the official 'Whip It' nationwide release, as several of the Detroit Derby Girls discuss the rivalries, the spills, and the thrills of life on the rink! The girls will also discuss their part in making this groundbreaking film.
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Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Discusses Multicultural Toolbox: Strategies for Raising our Children with Culture(s), Language(s), and Pride
In our quickly changing world, cultural fluency and multiple languages are becoming more important for our children's identity, self-esteem, friendships, connections with family, and future job possibilities. In this lively and fast-paced event, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang will introduce practical tools and strategies to make cultural education a part of our everyday lives. How do we make teaching about their/our/other cultures and values "normal", and then use it to build better and stronger communities for all of us? Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a second-generation Chinese American. She is an editor for www.IMDiversity.com's Asian-American Village; she writes the syndicated column Adventures in Multicultural Living (available at annarborchronicle.com); and she is the Executive Director of American Citizens for Justice/ Asian American Center for Justice.