The ELC at the residence of the American Ambassador

Meeting with Brenda Flanagan

Thursday March 3rd, 2005 a reception was given in Honor of Dr. Brenda Flanagan, Professor of African-American Literature at Davidson College, North Carolina in the residence of the American ambassador Mr. Thomas J. Riley in Rabat. The English Learners Club was there.

Brenda Flanagan, a native of Trinidad, is a professor of journalism and creative writing at Davidson College. She is a former cultural ambassador to Kazakstan and Turkmenistan. Flanagan is a three-time Hopwood award winner, including one for this novel. She is also the author of a play, When the Jumbie Bird Calls, and a forthcoming short story collection, In Praise of Older Women and Other Crimes. Her poetry and short fiction have appeared in Caliban, Calalloo, the Caribbean Review, and the Indiana Review, among others.

Brenda Flanagan was invited by the American embassy in conjunction with the celebration of Black History Month February 2005. The reception that took place in the residence of the American ambassador gathered some of the African ambassadors, Moroccan writers and academic English teachers.

With the American Embassador Mr. Thomas J. Riley

Brenda talked about her experience as a writer then read one of her short stories called “the girl from Bahia”:
“This is her pilgrimage, as Moslems go to Mecca, as Jews to the western wall, as Japanese to Mona Lisa in the Louvre She has come to Corcovado walking in the steps of enchantment.”

Dr. BrendaFlanagan signing her CD for the ELC

Together with Mrs. Alaoui and Ms. Nawal, 4 members of the ELC attended the reception: Lamiaa, Yassine, Redouane and Aymard. It was an occasion to present the club and invite the guests to take part in the English Days.

A short story writer herself, Brenda was delighted to know about the short story contest the club launched in January. She kindly offered us an Audio CD where she recorded some of the short story she wrote.

By Lami@a