The event is the second of five events in a series organized by the Latin and Caribbean programming at CSER (Center for Ethnicity and Race).
Audience engagement: Questions regarding how attendees found out about the event (via CSER website or newsletter).
Introduction of Speaker: Erika Morillo
Introduction by the event host who met Erika over six years ago through her photography.
Recognition of Erika's photography work, including shows and collections at notable libraries, museums, and archives such as the Whitney Museum, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the International Center of Photography.
Discussion of Erika's recent publication: "Mother Archive, a Dominican Family Memoir."
Purpose of the book: To create space for discussion and bond relating to her relationship with her mother.
Aim: To rid her son of generational baggage.
Noteworthy accolades: Finalist for the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award; shortlisted for the 2025 OCM BOCAS Prize.
The memoir spans three generations across three different countries and addresses themes, including the secrecy surrounding her father's death.
Mention of Erika's translation work:
Translated "The Grand Paloma Resort" by Dominican writer Pueves Lavera.
Upcoming translation of a book about Luis Alegro.
Erika introduced as a facilitator for a writing exercise, with intentions to share insights about her work and open a Q&A session.
Presentation by Erika Morillo
Introduction and gratitude for the invitation from the department and Andy Cruz.
Aim of the presentation: To discuss the intersection of photography and writing within a fifteen-minute timeframe.
Experience: Workshops conducted in various formats, including semester-long courses and short workshops.
Emphasis on the importance of restraint to avoid overwhelming the audience with information.
Significance of Photography in Writing
Discussion of using photography to navigate complex family histories and personal relationships.
Exploration of how personal and family archives can influence writing.
Emphasis on difficult relationships (specifically with Erika's mother and the Dominican Republic) and how these inform her creative process.
Object as a Starting Point in Writing
Example of an object: Book that appears as a cigarette pack but documents a Chinese wedding tradition of women lighting cigarettes for male attendees.
The book's title: "Till Death Do Us Part": symbolism of love and death due to the context of cigarettes.
Concept: Ordinary objects can become symbols in writing based on context.
Body as a Source of Memory
Importance of the body as a repository of personal and generational history.
Reference to the book "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk, which explores trauma and memory.
Point: Traumatic memories are often fragmented and may not follow a linear narrative.
Fragmentation in Personal Histories
Suggestion to start writing with sensory fragments rather than linear narratives.
Quote on trauma: "The overwhelming experience is split off and fragmented…"
Example of Sensory Fragmentation
Discussing the work of Japanese photographer Isuichi Miyako, who photographed her mother in vulnerable states
Use of objects (e.g., lipstick, nightgowns) to evoke past experiences and familial memories.
Landscape and Its Impact on Family History
Importance of the landscape in shaping personal narratives and histories.
Example: Latoya Rubin Gracier's "The Notion of Family"
Documented family experiences across generations in the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, reflecting socio-economic changes.
Discussion of post-industrial disinvestment and environmental racism, linking these themes to personal family experiences and health issues.
Grandmother's caregiving and emotion regulation reflected in her interactions with dolls.
Role of Archives in Family Narratives
The research potential of archives for family histories.
Memory's unreliability can be countered with concrete archival data (images, records).
Notable work: Ruben Bermudez's book confronting questions of identity and race in Spain with a focus on personal and broader societal contexts.
Absence and Emotional Resonance in Writing
Recognizing the power of absence in writing.
Example of Diana Khoi Nguyen's work using poetic forms to explore absence left by her brother who cut himself out of family photos.
This technique honors gaps in memory and experiences.
Erika’s Personal Narrative and Artistic Process
Erika's background involving loss: her father’s murder by the Paraguayan government and the resulting familial silence of erasure concerning his images.
Building an archive from family’s memory and attempting to connect with her mother through creative works.
Presentation of art objects and self-portraits intending to reconstruct her father's image through familial connections and rituals.
Interactive Writing Exercise
Participants encouraged to engage in a writing exercise using provided images:
Choose an Image: Hairbrush with hair or a photograph with more visual elements.
First Five Minutes: Write sentences or a short paragraph based on visual description of the chosen image.
Second Five Minutes: Write about the absence associated with the image, linking to personal or family memories.
Opportunities for volunteers to share their writing from the exercise afterward.
Conclusion of Presentation
Recap and transition to question and answer sessions, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the workshop.