Public Programs And Events

The MFA Creative Writing Program at The New School for Public Engagement and the Gender Studies program at The New School present a symposium on the life and work of legendary New York social activist, poet, short story writer, and feminist Grace Paley.

Paley fought for the rights of women and minorities and protested the Vietnam War and nuclear arms proliferation. It was in her extraordinary fictional stories of ordinary lives and through her grassroots activism that she changed the social and political landscape of her day.

This symposium pays homage to Grace Paley, exploring both her legacy and the complex ways her work still resonates today. The event includes a panel on her life and writings; readings by New School writing students; and a screening of Lilly Rivlin’s documentary, Grace Paley: Collected Shorts, followed by a conversation with the director. There will also be a screening of Peter Barton’s Women of ’69, Unboxed accompanied by a Class of 2015 Yearbox created by Parsons’ students. The symposium concludes with a walking tour of historically and culturally charged sites from Paley’s lifetime in Greenwich Village.

The symposium begins on Thursday, April 9 and continues on Friday, April 10. You may view the full schedule here.

Please click the red button at the right to register to attend one or both days. Registration will also be open at the event.

This event has been made possible through the generous support of Phyllis Kriegel.