A Read-In to celebrate Black History Month will be held in the IRC on Monday, February, 29th, 2016 at 4:20 p.m. This is a collaborative effort, planned and executed by the IRC, IMSA student group PME (Peer Multicultural Educators), and the English department. IMSA student Angitha Bright, ’18, created the Black History Month poster that hangs over the display and is pictured above.

Artist, author and 1997 IMSA graduate, Tiffany Gholar, is the featured speaker of the Read-In and she will read exerpts from her self published book, “Bitter Pill to Swallow.” Tiffany will be introduced by IMSA faculty member Julie Dowling, who was Tiffany’s classmate.

Tiffany writes about her writing experience on her website:

“I became interested in fiction writing when I was thirteen years old. I began taking as many creative writing courses as I could at school, in continuing education classes, and in college and graduate school. Much to my surprise, the first books I published were about my artwork. It was only after independently publishing three art books that I returned to fiction.”

Copies of Tiffany’s books will be raffled off to IMSA students.

Members of the IMSA student group, AASA (African American Student Association), will perform a dance during the Read-In, and students and staff will read from original work and works by their favorite authors.

Some of the authors that will be read on Monday may be found in the Black History Month display in the IRC. Works of fiction and non-fiction, and many DVDs of movies and documentaries dealing with black lives and race in America can be found in the display. All items can be checked out of the IRC.

Food and drink will be served during the Read-In and will be provided by Sodexo.