Texas Folklife and the Workers Defense Project invite the public to join us for the premiere of their new radio series, “Immigration and Labor: Stories from the Texas Workforce,” as well as a talk by Dr. Suzanne Seriff of the University of Texas at Austin on her work in folklore. This series of audio documentaries about labor, immigration, and workers has been produced as part of our community documentary training program, Stories from Deep in the Heart Summer Institute.

Refreshments will be served starting at 6pm, and the listening party will begin at 6:30pm. This event is free and open to the public.

The Stories Summer Institute is a week-long intensive workshop in audio documentary production with professional producers, journalists and cultural workers. Participants from all walks of life are guided through production of short audio documentaries on themes related to folklife, family, and community traditions. Participants work in groups to research a story, interview cultural workers or storytellers, and craft the finished interviews into broadcast-quality public radio documentaries. The Institute is part of an ongoing series of workshops for teachers and students in the Austin area and central Texas schools.

About Suzanne Seriff:
Suzanne Seriff, PhD (Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin) is an award winning innovator in the museum and community arts world with over 30 years experience working with traditional artists, performers and storytellers to transform communities through the power of local, place-based expressive arts. She is serving as Guest Instructor at the 2018 Stories Summer Institute.

More about 2018 Stories Summer Institute:
http://texasfolklife.org/ssi2018

This program is made in possible in part by the board and members of Texas Folklife, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, Texas Commission on the Arts, The City of Austin Telecommunications & Regulatory Affairs GTOPS Award, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department, and generous support from Austin Independent School District, Worker’s Defense Project, and KUT 90.5FM, Austin’s NPR affiliate.