Feb 05, 2013

COLUMBIA STATE WELCOMES POET, MUSICIAN, STORYTELLER KURTIS LAMKIN

Both Performances Free and Open to the Public

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Feb. 6, 2012) - - - Kurtis Lamkin seems to have it all. A respected poet, a well known storyteller, an accomplished musician and an educator, Lamkin brings his talent to Columbia State Community College. Scheduled for two appearances, Lamkin will be on the Franklin Campus on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 9:30 a.m. and at 12:30 p.m. in the Ledbetter Auditorium on the Columbia State main campus.
Weaving ancient African traditions and the West African connections he has, Lamkin tells stories of the diaspora of the African people. Sometimes joyful and filled with hope, he also seeks paths toward healing for the portion of society that continues to feel poverty and a lack of belonging. His use of the Kora, a 21-stringed harp, brings the music of West Africa to his message.
"Kurtis Lamkin is a wonderful way to celebrate Black History Month," said Ana Basoa, the director of the Lyceum Committee at Columbia State. "His work has been featured on PBS and Bill Moyer's Fooling with Words, and he has hosted MultiKultiMove, a radio-based global reading series."
The program, which is free and open to the public, is made possible by a special arrangement with the Global Education Center, the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Lamkin comes to Columbia State through a joint program with Columbia State's Lyceum and International Education committees.
For more information about this event, contact Professor Ana Basoa at (931) 540-2876 or abasoamcmillan@columbiastate.edu. For information on other Lyceum events, contact the Lyceum Committee by emailing lyceum@columbiastate.edu, or visit the Lyceum calendar on the Columbia State website at www.columbiastate.edu/lyceum.
Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

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