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Jenny Mitchell celebration event on 8 May: find out what’s on the agenda
Posted on behalf of: Internal Communications
Last updated: Friday, 3 May 2024
![Jenny Mitchell](/broadcast/images/uploads/2024/05/19559.item.jpg)
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.