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Jenny Mitchell

The University will be hosting a celebration event on Wednesday 8 May to mark Jenny Mitchell’s Poetry Residency on campus as it draws to a close. Find out below what to expect during the event which will include reflections on the residency and Black at Sussex, and poetry from staff, students and attendees.

Jenny has earned recognition and multiple awards for her contributions to the world of poetry and is an Alumna of the University. She returned to Sussex as Poet-in-Residence as part of the Black at Sussex project, facilitating a series of roundtable discussions with students from Schools across the University, staff and members of the public in spring 2024. Entitled The Wicked Problems Series, the sessions opened up conversations around ‘race’, identities and experiences within the realm of higher education. The Wicked Problems Series was followed by creative workshops, again facilitated by Jenny, that brought together the themes of Black resistance and agency through the power of language.

Event agenda

6.00pm - 6.15pm        Arrival and refreshments                          

6.15pm - 6.20pm       Gavin Mensah-Coker to welcome and introduce Jenny Mitchell, the residency and
                                   the Black at Sussex programme

6.20pm - 6.30pm        Allan Lester, Nadia Pattenden and Alice Corble to share their experience of
                                   Jenny’s Library event in September 2023 and recent residency  

6.30pm - 6.35pm       Jenny to give a brief overview of the residency and introduce the open mic

6.35pm - 6.45pm       Open mic: participants to share a poem each

6.45pm - 6.50pm       Jenny to share three short poems that relate to Wicked Problems

6.50pm - 7.05pm       Break for refreshments and look at poetry prompts

7.05pm-7.20pm         Jenny to welcome everyone back with a short poem. Gavin and Jenny to lead
                                   audience Q&A about Wicked Problems and The Power of Poetry

7.20pm-7.25pm         Jenny and Gavin to close with final thanks

7.30pm                       Event finishes 

Want to find out more about Black at Sussex?

Visit the Black at Sussex webpage to find out more about the programme, explore recent initiatives and see how you can get involved in the programme.