Susan Wolbarst, Shelly Gilbride, and Shazanah Ali

On the 9/28/22 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Dr. Andy and poet Susan Wolbarst discuss staying connected to the poetry community in pandemic times, and the rewards of branching out creatively. Wolbarst shares two poems, the first imaginative and poignant, the second relatable and provocative. Later, Shelly Gilbride talks about the important work of International House Davis, the “global living room” of our diverse city, and Shazanah Ali gets us excited for International Festival Davis, an annual celebration of culture and community happening this Sunday, October 2nd in Davis’ Central Park!

Susan Wolbarst lives and writes in Gualala, CA, a village of about 2,000 people in southern Mendocino County. She writes narrative poetry and works as a reporter for the local weekly newspaper, the Independent Coast Observer. She previously lived in Davis for over 20 years.

She recently (August 2022) won second place in a contest put on by the California State Poetry Society for a poem called “After,” which will be published in California Quarterly. She also won Honorable Mention in the same contest for a poem called “Where’s Ginny?” about a close friend with Alzheimer’s disease. In honor of Poetry Month in April 2022, Susan organized a Poetry for Everyone event at the Gualala Arts Center. Participants were asked to read a favorite poem or two, written by themselves or anyone else. One attendee was a tourist staying nearby at the Sea Ranch, who saw a flyer advertising the event and wrote her first poem, which she brought to share. The group consensus was that it was excellent.

Susan’s writing has been published in theravensperch.com, thewildword.com, pioneertownlit.com, The Whisky Blot, The Ledge Poetry and Fiction Magazine, Naugatuck River Review, and others. She self-published one cookbook in 1992. She loves messing around in kayaks and traveling, especially to countries beginning with “I,” such as India, Italy and Israel. Susan also loves reading and cooking recipes from around the world in her three cast iron pans. She earned an MA in Fine Arts from California State University, Sacramento and a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.

Shelly Gilbride is the Executive Director of International House Davis (I-House), a social gathering space where people from all over the world come together to celebrate our common humanity, share cultural practices and traditions, engage with our differences, cultivate joy, combat isolation, foster civic dialogue, and tackle global issues for a better tomorrow. 

International House Davis (I-House) connects people, experiences, and perspectives within a global framework. Their programs, classes, services, and events provide opportunities to learn about and experience cultures from around the world while building connections within the diverse local community.

Shazanah Ali is the Director of International Festival Davis, an annual celebration of culture and community organized by I-House Davis. Attendees can enjoy 6+ hours of music and dance, international food, craft activities, artisan wares and informational booths in Davis’ Central Park. International Festival Davis is happening October 2nd, 2022 from 10:30am-6pm!

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.