国产传媒

A host of international writers spoke during the Mount Saint Mary鈥檚 MFA in Creative Writing鈥檚 virtual 鈥淏orderlands鈥� conference held Oct. 15-17. The sixth annual international literary conference explored physical and emotional borders around the world through a film screening, readings, workshops and talks.

鈥淪ince the Mount is particularly situated near the California borderlands, this was an excellent opportunity to expose students to what border writing means,鈥� said Juana Moriel-Payne, director of the MFA鈥檚 Latin American/LatinX Creative Studies certificate program.

鈥淏orders are everywhere,鈥� says attendee Andrea Mauk MFA 鈥�22.  鈥淲e have borders within ourselves, borders within our homes and neighborhoods, and borders within our countries. We have to understand what makes us feel comfortable or uncomfortable about stepping on other side.鈥�

Speakers included Betina Gonz谩lez, an Argentinian writer who explores the border not just geographically, but also ideologically; JD Pluecker, who writes about the border while living in Texas; and Stephanie Elizondo Griest, a travel writer who has written about borders around the world, including those in Moscow, Beijing and Havana.

In addition to talks, students wrote alongside the featured writers in workshops.

鈥淢y favorite author was Betina Gonz谩lez, who taught a workshop on the use of rhythm and emotion in narrative, particularly in fiction,鈥� said Jason Robison MFA 鈥�23. 鈥淗earing someone speak specifically to the use of sound and rhythm was immensely helpful in distinguishing the prose form from poetry.鈥�

Gonz谩lez's workshop looked at how prose creates emotion. 鈥淗er prompt was a Matisse painting of human forms dancing and holding hands,鈥� says Robison. 鈥淲hen viewers look at the painting, they experience joy and connection. Gonz谩lez asked, 鈥楬ow can prose allow readers to experience the same emotions?鈥欌��

JD Pluecker was another favorite speaker. 鈥淗e was absolutely phenomenal,鈥� said Mauk. 鈥淗e uses primary documents in his writing, like a property deed or a river map. He is more than a poet. He is an archeologist because he is digging into the past to see what came before, and he is an architect because he is building it back. I thought, 鈥業f I were to write a poem along my river, what would it look like?鈥欌��

Students found inspiration in examining multiple art forms. 鈥淎 goal of our program is for students to understand that creative writing is not an isolated activity,鈥� said Moriel-Payne. 鈥淭he more you are in connection with other artists, the better intellectual you can be.鈥�

The lessons learned are empowering. 鈥淎s an undergrad at Arizona State, all the Chicano writers from the 鈥�80s were our foremothers,鈥� says Mauk. 鈥淭his conference and border writing itself gives me the opportunity to hold hands with them and be their peer. I鈥檓 the next generation border writer! We are continuing that space that Gloria Anzald煤a created, and we are expanding it.鈥�

鈥淓verything I learned is still seeping into my consciousness,鈥� said Robison. 鈥淚鈥檓 already thinking about what to do next. I鈥檓 two chapters into my novel, and now I鈥檝e got to change everything!鈥�