Events

OUT AND ABOUT

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS
Nov 22, 2020, 12:00 noon: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Beyond, Virtual Workshop for Barnes and Noble Fundraiser for Mid-State Literacy Council, State College, PA.

Nov 16, 2020, 6:30 pm: Diwali as part of the American Experience, Presentation at Penn State Health Capital Region (Dauphin) Multicultural Employee Affinity/Resource Group's virtual celebration in honor of Diwali, the festival of lights, Hershey, PA.

Mar 3, 2020, 6:30 pm: Reviewing History: Centering the Stories of Immigrants, Lecture for Centre County Reads (Book: Charming Billy, by Alice McDermott), Schlow Centre Regional Library, State College, PA.

Nov 23, 2019: NCTE Panel with Saadia Faruqi, Emma Otheguy, Rich Wallace, Sandra Wallace, Laura Shovan and Minh Le, Shaping Our Nation: Stories of First-and-Second-generation Americans, Baltimore, MD.

TEDxPSU Talk:
Feb 11, 2018: Speaker, Face to Face, TEDxPSU, "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States." Click here for Video of Talk
Some comments on the TEDx talk:
"This TED Talk enlightens even the broadest of perspectives."
"Probably the best talk I've ever heard on Immigration and it's effect on the United States."
"Relevant, informative, thought provoking TEDx worth sharing - very well presented."
"Both inspiring and informative - a must-watch!"

OTHER SAMPLE PAST EVENTS: Talks/Presentations/Workshops

Nov 13, 2019, 5:30 pm: "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States." Presentation to Mid-State Literacy Council volunteer-tutors, students, staff - open to the community, Fraser Street Commons, 115 Fraser Street, State College, PA. Additional Details here.
Oct 22, 2019: Class "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States," Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI at Penn State University).
Oct 3, 2019:Towards A More Inclusive History: Immigrants in Children’s Literature, Presentation at 2019 OELMA Conference, "School Libraries, The Heart of it All." Oct. 2-4, Dublin, Ohio.
June 11, 2019: Workshop, How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States, Community Diversity Group Conference, State College, PA
Feb 8, 2019: Speaker, Diversity Week Luncheon Series How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States, State College Area High School.
Oct. 11, 2018: 2018 Annual Literacy Conference and Virginia Hamilton Conference "Integrating the Contributions and Experiences of Immigrant Americans into the Curriculum," Kent State University. Additional Details available here.
Sept. 27, 2018: Schlow Library, State College, PA, "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States." 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm, Downsbrough Community Room; Sponsored by the Centre County Historical Society and Schlow Library. Additional Details available here.
Sept. 15, 2018: "Writing the Truth of Immigrant Characters," 2018 Northern Ohio SCBWI Regional Conference, “Upping Your Game”
June 24, 2018: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County, State College, PA, Sunday Service.
May 23, 2018: State College Area School District, State College, PA "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States."
March 19, 2018: Speaker, Spring Event, Penn State University Women's Club, Talk: "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States" This 1 hr-talk for about 90 attendees at the Penn State Visitors Center was followed by 45-min Q & A which ran the gamut of identity, hyphenated-Americans, when an immigrant "becomes" American, undocumented immigrants, DACA and more.

Workshop: "Voyages of Discovery: How Immigrants Shape/d America"

Oct 2017: Invited Workshop, at Back to the Book Jr : Celebrating Diversity Workshop, organized by the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System Some attendees wished their entire library system could have heard the presentation as they found it so relevant, and triggered many new programming ideas.
April 2017: Presenter, 33rd Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth. The workshop focused on the history of immigration, and the contributions of first generation immigrants to the United States, from both a historical and current perspective. Nalini used children's books and online resources to showcase the deep and lasting impact made by immigrants to our everyday lives.

Class: How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States

Fall 2020: Class on Asian Americans History and Contributions: Perpetual Immigrants: The Asian American Experience, PSU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
Fall 2019, 2018, 2017: Class on Immigrant History and Contributions How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States, PSU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)

This class introduces students to the history of Immigration, and uses data and examples to understand the role of immigrants in our society and counter existing stereotypes. Nalini received great, positive feedback from her students, including "You completely changed my view on immigration and immigrants," and "It really informed how I'm processing the news and current issues."

One-Act Play: Performed White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour, at Penn State University, April 25, 2018
It was an absolute honor, and privilege, and a transformative experience to do this play, which is described briefly below. I am so thankful to Nassim Soleimanpour for conceiving this play. Several attendees told me they loved it - please go if you have a chance to see it sometime!
DESCRIPTION: No rehearsals. No director. No set. A different actor reads the script cold for the first time at each performance. Forbidden to leave his country, playwright Nassim Soleimanpour distilled the experience of an entire generation in a wild, utterly original play. WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT is a work about contemporary Iran and of Nassim’s generation. A generation born amidst the hardship of the Iran-Iraq war. A generation of computer-literate, well-informed young people who have never known an Iran other than the Islamic Republic. Nassim Soleimanpour has received rave reviews for this play: “A playful, enigmatic and haunting solo show by the Iranian writer Nassim Soleimanpour.” –The New York Times; “A thoughtful, playful response to oppression.” –The Guardian; “The whole experience is altogether funny and serious and surprising and you — by which I mean we — are all in it together.” —San Francisco Examiner; “A dazzling, transcendent piece of alive-and-kicking avant-garde theater.” –Entertainment Weekly