Posted on Oct 25, 2023
Staff at NYC cultural center resign after acclaimed author's event canceled
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https://www.npr.org/2023/10/24/ [login to see] /staff-at-nyc-cultural-center-resign-after-acclaimed-authors-event-canceled
Staff from The 92nd Street Y, New York are resigning, after the storied cultural hub abruptly halted a scheduled reading by author Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Now the rest of the 92NY's poetry reading season – which was set to feature Emily Wilson, Roxane Gay, Tracy K. Smith, and more – is "currently on pause," according to a 92NY spokesperson.
On Friday, 92NY was supposed to host Nguyen, who is promoting his new memoir A Man of Two Faces. The acclaimed author has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his book The Sympathizer, and writes often about the experience of refugees. Earlier in the week, Nguyen joined more than 700 other writers in signing an open letter published in the in the London Review of Books calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Staff from The 92nd Street Y, New York are resigning, after the storied cultural hub abruptly halted a scheduled reading by author Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Now the rest of the 92NY's poetry reading season – which was set to feature Emily Wilson, Roxane Gay, Tracy K. Smith, and more – is "currently on pause," according to a 92NY spokesperson.
On Friday, 92NY was supposed to host Nguyen, who is promoting his new memoir A Man of Two Faces. The acclaimed author has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his book The Sympathizer, and writes often about the experience of refugees. Earlier in the week, Nguyen joined more than 700 other writers in signing an open letter published in the in the London Review of Books calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Staff at NYC cultural center resign after acclaimed author's event canceled
Posted from npr.org
New York City
Culture
Poetry
Reading
Refugees
Posted 6 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."In a statement sent to NPR, the 92NY spokesperson said the center has always invited diverse viewpoints. "As a Jewish organization we believe the responsible course of action right now is to take some time to determine how best to use our platform and support the entire 92NY community, so we made the difficult decision to postpone the October 20th event."
Nguyen instead held the event at the McNally Jackson bookstore in Manhattan.
The poetry center's director Sarah Chihaya and senior program coordinator Sophie Herron confirmed to NPR that they both resigned from their posts following the cancellation of Nguyen's event, but did not comment further.
The 92nd Street Y, New York's Unterberg Poetry Center has been a hub for literary events and readings since 1939. It has a long history of hosting canonical writers such as T.S Eliot, Langston Hughes, Marianne Moore, to more contemporary authors such as Sandra Cisneros and Lorrie Moore.
When contacted by NPR, Nguyen said he hasn't been in touch directly with the board or any spokespersons from 92NY. On Instagram, he wrote "I have no regrets about anything I have said or done in regards to Palestine, Israel, or the occupation and war."
..."In a statement sent to NPR, the 92NY spokesperson said the center has always invited diverse viewpoints. "As a Jewish organization we believe the responsible course of action right now is to take some time to determine how best to use our platform and support the entire 92NY community, so we made the difficult decision to postpone the October 20th event."
Nguyen instead held the event at the McNally Jackson bookstore in Manhattan.
The poetry center's director Sarah Chihaya and senior program coordinator Sophie Herron confirmed to NPR that they both resigned from their posts following the cancellation of Nguyen's event, but did not comment further.
The 92nd Street Y, New York's Unterberg Poetry Center has been a hub for literary events and readings since 1939. It has a long history of hosting canonical writers such as T.S Eliot, Langston Hughes, Marianne Moore, to more contemporary authors such as Sandra Cisneros and Lorrie Moore.
When contacted by NPR, Nguyen said he hasn't been in touch directly with the board or any spokespersons from 92NY. On Instagram, he wrote "I have no regrets about anything I have said or done in regards to Palestine, Israel, or the occupation and war."
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