LAF 2016
Festival Directors: Robert Ostrom and Jennifer Sears
Writing Competition Coordinator: Lucas Kwong
LAF Video: Afonso Henrique and Natalie Yeung
LAF in the Classroom: Jennifer Sears
Reception Coordinators: Renata Ferdinand and Laura Westengard
Social Media: Reem Flifel, Jennifer Sears, and Robert Ostrom
SPECIAL THANKS
Loubna Aly, Graphic Designer, Faculty Commons Design Team
Hercules E. Reid, President, and the Student Government Association
Sandy Thevenin, LAF Stage Manager, Entertainment Technology
Russell K. Hotzler, President
Marilyn Morrison, Office of the President
Stephen Soiffer, Special Assistant to the President
Bonne August, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
Justin Vázquez-Poritz, Interim Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Jewel Escobar, Director, and the City Tech Foundation
Julia Jordan, Director, Faculty Commons
Sue Brandt, Associate Professor of Entertainment Technology
John Huntington, Professor of Entertainment Technology
Denise Sutton, Director of Communications
Faith Corbett, Executive Director, Public Relations and Career Services
David B. Turkiew, Director, Media Services
Nina Bannett, Chair, Department of English
Rebecca Devers, Assistant Professor of English
Caroline Hellman, Associate Professor of English
Lucas Kwong, Assistant Professor of English, Musician/Composer: The Hurt Project
Robert Lestón, Associate Professor of English
LAF 2016 STUDENT VOLUNTEER TEAM
Bolivar Aguasvivas • Vijay Baroo • Xuerong Chen • Chris Cobar • Chrishe Cumma
Jonathan Deterville • Jeremy Fey • Reem Flifel • Osvaldo Gratereaux • Isom Harris
Afonso Henrique • Parabjot Kaur • Rukhsar Khan • Emmanuela Michel • E-man Louis
Promise Remington • Pritpal Singh • Ian Thomas • Natalie Yeung
CITY TECH STEPPERS
Bridgette Babb • Mike Charles • Fabienne Chery • Abbygale Cooke • Kenneth Davis • Tiana Dixon
Andrew Enoe • Shaniqua Gibson • Gabrielle Gray • Kerryann James • Shamire Marc • Amanda Marmol
Kayla Mustipher • Annabelle Okei • Shania Price • Shaunte Yarde • Tinika Welsh • Mckasia Williams
WRITING COMPETITION JUDGES
Lubie Alatriste • Juanita But • Aaron Barlow • Megan Behrent • Rebecca Devers • Kate Falvey • Julie Fraad
Camille Goodison • Caroline Hellman • Cecily Iddings • Reneta Lansiquot • Alan Lovegreen • Mary Nilles
Mark Noonan • Anne Page • Sean Scanlan • Jessica Sholl • Stephen Soiffer
MARCH 24, 2016 • VOORHEES THEATER
WELCOME
Russell K. Hotzler, President, New York City College of Technology
Robert Ostrom and Jennifer Sears, Assistant Professors of English, Co-Directors of LAF
LAF 2016 Film: The LAF Files
LAF Team Welcome
Music by Lucas Kwong’s Hurt Project
Ian Thomas and E-man Louis, LAF Co-Hosts
2016 WRITING COMPETITION AWARD PRESENTATION
Alan Kay Literary Criticism Award
1st Place (tie): Peggy Saint-Vil, “Analyzing Poems on Death/ Poetic Views on Death”
1st Place (tie): Emmanuela Michel, “Displaced Persons: Pariahs”
2nd Place: Natalie Gustavsson, “The Hidden Power of Goodness in
Muhammed Naseehu Ali’s story ‘Mallam Sile’”
3rd Place: Diogenes Mata, “Drown: Impacts of Physical Abuse”
Adolphus Lee Poetry Award
1st Place: Jane Shor, “The City”
2nd Place: Ariel Nolasco, “You”
3rd Place (tie): Afonso Henrique, “Damn You, Mother!”
3rd Place (tie): George Shengelia, “Night and I”
Charles Matusik Fiction Award
READING AND PERFORMANCES
Paul Nembhard, “American Skin Issues”
City Tech Steppers, Dance Perfomance
Katherine Hernandez, “Chicken Basquaise for Two”
Aleksandra Majkut, “Monday”
Thierno Diallo, “The Immigrants in Benzu”
Officer David “Poetic Justice” Edwards, Spoken Word Performance
Daiane Bushey, “Bug Parties”
Irvin Gutierrez, “Luly Halal Food Truck”
Jane Mushabac, “Adult Children”
Michelle Joseph, “Free Bird”
SPECIAL GUEST
Author Introduction: Aleksandra Majkut
Mary Gaitskill, author of The Mare
AWARDS PRESENTATION FOR THE
LAF 2016 WRITING COMPETITION
Lucas Kwong, Assistant Professor of English, LAF Writing Competition Coordinator
RECEPTION AND BOOKSIGNING TO FOLLOW
1st Place: Katherine Hernandez, “Chicken Basquaise for Two”
2nd Place: Daiane Bushey, “Bug Parties”
3rd Place: Jaroslav Sykora, “Cheechmoonda”
Graphic Text Award
1st Place: Jessica Glinski, “Yanki Complex”
2nd Place: Reem Flifel, “Don’t Ever Regret Your Actions! Believe In Yourself!”
3rd Place: Marvin Clarke, “The Voiceless Playground”
Judith Walter Personal Essay Award
1st Place: Aleksandra Majkut, “Monday”
2nd Place (tie): Diamond Ivey, “Mysterious Friendship”
2nd Place (tie): Christina Rodriquez, “More to Life”
3rd Place: Dayna Iphill, “The Love of a Mother”
Lou Rivers Drama Award
1st Place: Hallie Lederer, “AGARES”
2nd Place: Michellle Joseph, “Free Bird”
3rd Place (tie): Nicole Bellaflores-Mejia, “Freestyle Effect”
3rd Place (tie): Evens Belleville, “Hounds Tooth”
Laura Polla Scanlon Award for Best Essay on New York
1st Place: Irvin Gutierrez, “Luly Halal Food Truck”
2nd Place: Rowina Bryant, “I Found My Passion”
3rd Place: Alisa Pavlova, “Rhetorical Question”
Michele Forsten Advocacy Award
1st Place: Andreina Avalos, “Hatching From My Shell”
2nd Place (tie): Pamela Drake, “The Portrayal and Betrayal of Women”
2nd Place (tie): Cherishe Cumma, “Erotic vs. Erotica”
3rd Place: Thierno Diallo, “The Immigrants in Benzu”
Charles Hirsch Faculty and Staff Award
1st Place: Essay: Jessica Penner, “Absent”
2nd Place: Fiction: Jane Mushabac, “Adult Children”
3rd Place: Poetry: Lubos Stepanek, “Mystery Sestina”