NEA Big Read: Wichita
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Events

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Some events require free registration
Some events are open only to persons with access to McConnell Air Force Base
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Ongoing Events
The Big Read Volunteers with Wichita Habitat for Humanity
The Wichita Public Libraries and Wichita Habitat for Humanities want you to come out in the month April and volunteer. Sign up at https://wichitahabitat.org/volunteer/. Utilize the code ICTreads and you will receive a shirt from the Wichita Public Libraries for volunteering. Open to ages 16 and up.
Dates and locations vary based on signup
Virtual Kickoff
Join us for a virtual Kickoff celebration of this year's NEA Big Read book, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Wichita is in its 14th year of celebrating the NEA Big Read, and this year's book will highlight themes of community & neighborhood, dreams & aspirations, cultural expectations, and the struggles of families in poverty through the lens of a 12-year-old Mexican girl named Esperanza. The Kickoff will feature music, art, reader's theater, and a preview of upcoming events during the three months of Wichita's celebration. During this live event, we will share instructions on what you can do to get a FREE copy of The House on Mango Street.
February 12, 2:30 p.m. (stream goes live at 2:15), online via Facebook Live
Bilingual Preschool Storytime
Parents and children ages birth to 5 years are invited to this special preschool storytime presented by storytime librarian Hannah Adamson and special guest, bilingual staff member Xochitl Lozano! Miss Hannah and Miss Xochitl will read books in both English and Spanish, play games, dance, sing, and incorporate interactive apps all to teach and engage little ones!
February 15, 10-10:40 a.m., Derby Public Library
Teen Tuesday: Fiesta Fest
6th-12th graders are invited to join us for this afterschool program where we will play musical chairs set to Spanish music, go to the Frida Kahlo Transformation Station to become the Mexican artist complete with unibrow and flower crown, play Loteria – a classic Mexican-style bingo – and enjoy walking tacos as a snack!
February 15, 4-5 p.m., Derby Public Library
Book Discussion
Join us for a book discussion of the Big Read Wichita selection The House on Mango Street. Snacks will be provided.
February 15, 6:30-8 p.m., Goddard Public Library
Bilingual Preschool Storytime
Parents and children ages birth to 5 years are invited to this special preschool storytime presented by storytime librarian Hannah Adamson and special guest, bilingual staff member Xochitl Lozano! Miss Hannah and Miss Xochitl will read books in both English and Spanish, play games, dance, sing, and incorporate interactive apps all to teach and engage little ones!
February 16, 10-10:40 a.m., Derby Public Library
Craftaholics, Anonymous: Picture Frame Lanterns
We will create lanterns to display family pictures. All supplies will be supplied. This is an adult program. Due to COVID restrictions, please be advised we will be following Base health guidelines and masks are required for everyone over the age of 2.
February 18, 6-8 p.m., McConnell Air Force Base Library
Bilingual Brains and the Big Read
While Chicago may seem a world apart from Kansas at times, we share a long history of migration, multilingualism, and the kinds of speech patterns that people use when they move back and forth between cultural "worlds." This event traces the longstanding relationship between Spanish and English in Kansas, while delving deeper into how and why multilingual speakers weave their languages together. Using The House on Mango Street as our guide, we will uncover how such codeswitching can add layers of meaning to communication. We will also explore how moving back and forth between languages may actually give your brain a boost! Call (316) 261-8500 or visit wichitalibrary.org/events to register. This program will be held online via Zoom. A link to the program will be sent to your inbox the day before and the day of the program.
February 19, 3-4 p.m., online via Wichita Public Library
Humanities Kansas: They Changed My Name by Jose Faus
Jose Faus is a teacher, artist, and founder of the Latino Writers Collective in Kansas City. This presentation, brought to us via a grant through Humanities Kansas, brings together the dynamics of immigration told through the lens of visual art and poetry. It showcases an interactive exploration of a personal journey from the heart of Colombia to the heart of the United States, exploring the conundrum of belonging in unfamiliar surroundings while straddling two different cultures and narratives.
February 19, 3-4 p.m., Derby Public Library
Story Time Squad
We will have our weekly story time incorporating the NEA Big Read companion titles. We will offer stories, songs and hands on activities reflecting the themes of home and family. Due to COVID restrictions, please be advised we will be following Base health guidelines and masks are required for everyone over the age of 2.
February 22, 10-11 a.m., McConnell Air Force Base Library
Mapping Home
WSU Art Education Book Club hosts a discussion.
February 22, 5-7:50 p.m., WSU Art Ed Department, McKnight North, Room 121, 1845 Fairmount
The Library Lounge: Frida
Adults are invited to view the film Frida starring Salma Hayek while working on either their own craft projects or the craft projects provided. Attendants are invited to bring blankets, pillows, or other comfort items to enhance their viewing experience. Snacks, tea, coffee, and horchata will be provided.
February 22, 6-8:30 p.m., Derby Public Library
Tween Zone: The Mysterious Library Society and the Big Read
3rd-5th graders are invited to the Mysterious Library Society to solve puzzles, brain teasers, and codes in search of the great mysteries of the world. This special program will feature a Latin American focus with book recommendations, special trivia challenges, crafts, and snacks.
February 23, 4-5 p.m., Derby Public Library
Big Read Book Discussion
Join us for a discussion of The House on Mango by Sandra Cisneros with a focus on cultural perspectives, challenges the characters faced, and how our lives our shaped by our families. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
February 25, 1-2 p.m., Derby Public Library
House on Mango Street Book Discussion
Join us for a book discussion of the Big Read Wichita selection The House on Mango Street.
February 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd
Big Read Book Discussion
Learn more about Wichita Habitat for Humanity while engaging in a book club discussion with The House on Mango Street. Attendees will meet in a newly built Habitat home, engage with the Executive Director, and discuss the book. This book club session if open to all, but space is limited to 15 attendees.
February 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 1304 N. Lorraine
Mal de Ojo Friendship Bracelet Workshop
The Mal de Ojo, meaning evil eye, is known in many Latino cultures to help ward off negative thoughts someone might be having about you and help you have good luck. Some cultures find meaning when they wear a bracelet and then the bracelet falls off over time. In this FREE online workshop learn a series of knots and braids to create a friendship bracelet and/or a keychain while learning about the Mal de Ojo. Supply kits can be picked up at CityArts between February 14-25. This program will be held online via Zoom. Register online through the Wichita Public Library.
February 26, 1-2 p.m., online via CityArts & Wichita Public Library
As the Page Turns Book Discussion
Our monthly adult book club will read and discuss The House on Mango Street. Due to COVID restrictions, please be advised we will be following Base health guidelines and masks are required for everyone over the age of 2.
February 28, 7-8 p.m., McConnell Air Force Base Library
Kanza Kids: Clay Impressions
We will teach the school aged kids how to use clay to make impressions of various materials. We will talk about what impressions are important to each kid and what they keep with them as they change bases and homes. Due to COVID restrictions, please be advised we will be following Base health guidelines and masks are required for everyone over the age of 2.
March 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m., McConnell Air Force Base Youth Center
Big Read Shorts: A Film Series Inspired by The House on Mango Street
Join Wichita, KS and Wallowa and Union, OR audiences for a virtual screening of short films inspired by the 2022 Big Read selection The House on Mango Street. These films explore subjects – including identity & belonging, othering and the immigrant experience, generational divide, responsibility, gender, family, faith and home. Their main characters add depth and perspective to the story and life of Esperanza Cordero, the book's protagonist. Though the people we meet in these stories are straddling communities and worlds, their lived multicultural and intersectional experiences showcase the universality of these themes around the world, through the medium of the moving image. Curated by mama.film, presented in partnership with Wichita Public Library and Fishtrap. Register online to get access to the films and/or filmmaker Q&A.
Streaming Free (password protected): March 4-8 | Live Filmmaker Q&A: March 5, 5 p.m.
Family Night: Latin America
Children ages 3-7 and their families are invited to this evening program featuring crafts, stories, songs, and games. This special event will include tales and crafts from across Latin America!
March 7, 7-7:40 p.m., Derby Public Library
Book Discussion
Join Bethel College professor Brad Born for a discussion of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Copies of the book are available for borrowing.
March 8, 7 p.m., Newton Public Library
Senior Wednesday: Somos de Wichita
Learn about the history of Wichita's Hispanic and Latinx community from Dr. Enrique Navarro, WSU Associate Professor of Spanish. Co-curator of the Somos de Wichita digital exhibit, Dr. Navarro will address themes in the Big Read Wichita selection The House on Mango Street and connect them to our own community's past. Families from Mexico and Latin America settled in Wichita during the 1910s and 1920s, working on the railroad and in the meatpacking industry. These families found themselves both an integral part of Wichita while also remaining distinct from the dominant Anglo culture of the area. Dr. Navarro will discuss their experiences and help us learn how Sandra Cisneros' novella intersects with our own local history.
March 9, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd
Poetry Writing Workshop with Huascar Medina
Join us to hone your poetry writing skills in this writing workshop. Poets will incorporate imagism and symbolism to animate the inanimate, transforming everyday objects into metaphors of extraordinary lives. Huascar Medina, Kansas's seventh Poet Laureate (2019-2021), will lead this workshop in honor of this year's Big Read title The House on Mango Street. Medina is the author of Un Mango Grows in Kansas, a work of poetry that explores how place plays a role in the opportunities and promise that are presented to us. To learn more about the workshop presenter, see huascarmedina.com. Call (316) 261-8500 or visit wichitalibrary.org/events to register.
March 12, 2-4:30 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd
Humanities Kansas: Flour Power by Gene Chavez
Gene Chavez is President of Chavez and Associates in Lenexa, Kansas. This presentation, brought to us via a grant through Humanities Kansas, discusses the rich history of Mexican immigration to Kansas and the journey of the humble but important tortilla. During the period of the Mexican Revolution, many immigrants made their way to Kansas to raise their families and work in the railroad, agricultural, industrial, and hospitality sectors of the state. A cultural offshoot of this new group of Mexican residents settling in the Midwest was the search for the perfect tortilla, a staple of Mexican cuisine. Because corn tortillas were difficult to make by hand, many restaurants and home cooks substituted wheat flour tortillas for their signature dishes.
March 12, 3-4 p.m., Derby Public Library
Literary Feast
Literary Feast is KMUW's monthly book club, featuring selections made by KMUW staff. For March, we're reading The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Reserve your free spot and KMUW will email you the Zoom link.
March 16, 5-6 p.m., online via KMUW
Family and Identity: How Our Social Bonds Influence Us
From the time that we are born, we are surrounded by family, caregivers, neighbors, etc. and they come to shape every aspect of our lives and influence who we become and how we view the world around us. In this year's Big Read title, The House on Mango Street, the main character's worldview is also influenced by the familial and social bonds she has that are reflected throughout the vignettes in the book. Join us for an educational discussion about how family and other social bonds influence our sense of identity and how we interact with the world, with a focus on how this may be especially relevant to immigrant communities.
This event has been canceled. We are attempting to reschedule.
March 22, 5-6:30 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd
Refuel 22: Yarn Art
We will use colorful yarns to create nierikas (pictures) of what it means to be home in the style of the Huichol Indians. Due to COVID restrictions, please be advised we will be following Base health guidelines and masks are required for everyone over the age of 2.
March 23, 4:30-5:30 p.m., McConnell Air Force Base Youth Center
Scott Chesebro
Urban studies scholar Dr. Scott Chesebro will give a talk and answer questions about Latino urban culture in the Chicago communities highlighted in The House On Mango Street. Online only. Join via Zoom or watch on Facebook Live!
March 29, 7 p.m., online via Newton Public Library
House on Mango Street Book Discussion
Bring your lunch and join us for a lunch time discussion of the Big Read Wichita selection The House on Mango Street. Weather permitting, this discussion will be on the reading terrace of the Advanced Learning Library.
March 30, Noon-1 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St.
Adventures at the Library: Inca Age
K-2nd graders are invited to this special Adventure at the Library to explore the Inca Age of Pre-Columbian America! Children will hear stories, make crafts, have a snack, and play games all while learning about the incredible history of Peru!
March 31, 4-5 p.m., Derby Public Library
Homebuying 101
Buying a home can be an extremely stressful process and for many, the dream of home ownership can seem daunting, especially for first-time homebuyers. In this informative program, Katharine Franco, Homeowner Services Manager for Wichita Habitat for Humanity, will demystify the financial aspects of buying a home such as determining your budget, home loan options, making an offer and more.
April 4, 6-7:30 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St.
Virtual Big Read Book Discussion
Patrons are invited to join this virtual discussion of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with a focus on cultural perspectives, the influence of culture on identity, and how our families can shape us into the people we become as adults.
April 8, 7-8 p.m., online via Derby Public Library
The Library Lounge: Selena
Adults are invited to view the film Selena starring Jennifer Lopez while working on either their own craft projects or the craft projects provided. Attendants are invited to bring blankets, pillows, or other comfort items to enhance their viewing experience. Snacks, tea, coffee, and horchata will be provided.
April 13, 7-9:30 p.m., Derby Public Library
Murder Mystery Night: Killer Quinceñera
You are invited to the birthday celebration of the Alvarez family's fifteen-year old daughter, complete with delicious food and sensational music, but beware of the familia's true intent. Behind their smiles and blessings comes treachery of the gravest kind. When murder strikes the fiesta, will you be able to solve the crime? Contact Derby Public Library to register.
April 22, 7-9 p.m., Derby Public Library
Book Discussion: A House of My Own: Stories from My Life
For those looking for a deeper dive into this year's Big Read celebration, this book discussion will be based on the memoir of Sandra Cisneros's life. In this jigsaw autobiography, made up of essays and images spanning three decades, Cisneros has come home at last. Written with her trademark lyricism, in these signature pieces the acclaimed author of The House on Mango Street and winner of the 2019 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature shares her transformative memories and reveals her artistic and intellectual influences. Poignant, honest, and deeply moving, A House of My Own is an exuberant celebration of a life lived to the fullest, from one of our most beloved writers. Books will be available for checkout beginning March 15.
April 24, 3-4:30 p.m., Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St.
Wichitalks: Big Read Edition
For this special Big Read Wichita edition of Wichitalks, we invite presentations pertaining to the concept of home. Like Esperanza in The House on Mango Street, we all have unique experiences, colorful communities, and stories of personal growth that contribute to our ideas of what home means. Sometimes they are harsh realities and sometimes they are deeply joyous. At this Wichitalks we celebrate those stories. Ten handpicked individuals will share a five-minute presentation on the theme of home. With only 20 slides, each auto-advancing every 15 seconds, presentations are brief, fun, insightful, and passionately delivered. Tickets are $10 plus tax. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit wichitalks.com.
April 29, doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m., Roxy's Downtown, 412 1/2 E. Douglas Ave.
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