BY RACHEL COLEMAN

LIBERAL, Kan. – April is Poetry Month and Seward County Community College will celebrate with two poetry events on Friday, April 4 – a poetry writing workshop and its annual Coffeehouse.

SCCC Library invites poetry enthusiasts and aspiring writers to a special Poetry Workshop.

Led by Huascar Medina, the Poet Laureate of Kansas from 2019 to 2022, the workshop will guide attendees through various poetic forms, writing techniques, and exercises designed to spark inspiration. The event offers participants an opportunity to explore their creative voice and develop their poetic skills.

The workshop, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the SCCC Library.

Afterwards, the SCCC Humanities Department will host its annual Coffeehouse event at 7:00 p.m. in the One-Stop-Shop of the Hobble Academic Building.

This evening gathering, which is free to the public, will feature readings from Medina and then an open mic format where participants are invited to share their original poetry. Attendees can enjoy coffee, light refreshments, and an atmosphere of creative camaraderie.

Medina is known for his impactful work in poetry, advocacy, and community engagement. His work explores themes of identity, culture, and the human experience. In addition to his poetry, Medina is an editor, writer, and active promoter of literary arts throughout Kansas. His presence at the workshop offers a unique opportunity for attendees to learn from a distinguished literary voice.

This program is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025, directed by the Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Humanities Kansas.

For more information, please contact the SCCC Library at [email protected] or 620-417-1160 or the SCCC Humanities Department at 620-417-1301.