THE PANELS
THE PANELS
Wednesday, April 2nd
8:30 AM - 9 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Outdoor Stage/Dallas Hall Lawn South
Welcome to My Country
Opening Remarks by Chair of English Department, Christopher González
How do we define our country—as a physical place, a personal history, or a cultural identity? Professor Christopher González opens the festival with reflections on literature’s role in shaping our understanding of country, belonging, and the power of storytelling.
9 AM - 10 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Writers in our Backyard: SMU Authors
Exploring Literary Roots on Campus and Beyond
How does a university shape a writer’s understanding of place? This panel features SMU authors discussing how the surrounding community informs their creative work, whether through personal history, regional storytelling, or cultural connections.
Introduction: Ryland Davis, SMU Freshman Hilltop Scholar and Freshman Senator
Moderator: Stephanie Amsel
Participants: Sebastian Paramo, Lori Ann Stephens, Samantha Mabry
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
On the Lawn
DFW Poetry Showcase
11 AM - 11:45 AM
On the Lawn
Q Major (music)
11 AM - 2 PM
On the Lawn
Bookish Caricatures by Liston Morris
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Form in Life-Writing
Personal and National Narratives in Life-Writing
Memoirists craft personal histories within larger cultural landscapes. This panel examines how structure and form shape the stories we tell about ourselves and our countries—both real and imagined. Writers will discuss the challenge of balancing truth, history, and identity in their work.
Introduction: Brianna Freshwater, SMU undergraduate student
Moderator: DaMaris Hill
Participants: D. Watkins, MK Asante, Marita Golden, Christopher González
12:30 PM - 2 PM
On the Lawn
Typewriter Poetry by The Party Poet, Shae Shaw
12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
On the Lawn
Exquisite Corpse Hour: Student Readings and Music
Nourished by Story
How Cuisine and Storytelling Shape Our Sense of Country
Food carries the history of a nation, a people, and a personal journey. In this conversation, writers discuss how culinary traditions influence their storytelling, how food connects us to our country of origin, and how recipes serve as narratives of survival, resistance, and heritage.
Introduction: (TBD)
Moderator: Karen Thomas
Participants: Alexander Smalls
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
1:45 PM - 2:30 PM
On the Lawn
Yokochi Bare Musical Performance
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Writing Retreats: Finding Home Away from Home
Reimagining Home Through Writing Retreats
Writers often leave home to find inspiration. This panel explores the significance of writing retreats in shaping creative work, offering solitude, and providing a temporary sense of belonging. Writers will discuss how different landscapes influence their storytelling.
Introduction: Alexandra Saucedo, Dallas Literary Festival Undergraduate Assistant
Moderator: Cole Lavalais
Participants: Marita Golden, Tyehimba Jess, Renee Simms
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
On the Lawn
Bookish Caricatures by Liston Morris
2:30 PM - 4 PM
On the Lawn
Typewriter Poetry by The Party Poet, Shae Shaw
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
On the Lawn
The Literary Half Hour Showcase
3:30 PM - 4:15 PM
On the Lawn
Kenny & Gabrielle Musical Performance
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Dallas Hall - McCord Auditorium
My Black Country
Maria Dixon Hall in conversation with Alice Randall
For Black writers, country is a layered concept—rooted in ancestry, displacement, and cultural inheritance. Alice Randall and Maria Dixon Hall explore how Black narratives challenge, expand, and redefine the meaning of home and nation. Through literature, music, and historical context, they discuss the role of storytelling in shaping personal and collective identity.
Speaker/Introduction: Triauna Carey
Moderator: Maria Dixon Hall
Participants: Alice Randall
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
On the Lawn
SMU Undergraduate CW Showcase
6 PM - 8 PM
On the Lawn
A special performance by Dacia Kings, with additional songs by Alice Randall
6 PM - 8 PM
On the Lawn
Reception and BBQ (Invitation Only) under tent on the South Lawn
Thursday, April 3rd
8:30 AM - 9 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Welcome
Welcome from the E.A. Lilly Professor in English Darryl Dickson-Carr & Dallas Poet Laureate, Mag Gabbert
How do writers define country—both as a physical space and an emotional landscape? This opening session sets the tone for the festival, exploring how literature and poetry help us navigate personal and collective identities.
9 AM - 10 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Outside Myself: Travel Writing
Exploring Self and Nation Through Travel Writing
Travel writing is about more than movement—it’s about discovery. In this panel, writers discuss how travel influences their understanding of country, culture, and belonging. From exploring unfamiliar lands to rediscovering their own roots, these authors reflect on how crossing borders shapes both personal and national narratives.
Introduction: Student Senator Introduction (TBD)
Moderator: Lauren Smart
Participants: Alex Temblador, Latria Graham, A. Kendra Greene
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(On the Lawn)
High School Open Mic
Selling My Story: The Business of Publishing
Navigating the Literary Marketplace
Who gets to tell their country’s story? And how do writers ensure their voices are heard in the publishing world? This panel explores the business of books—from securing agents to marketing personal and national narratives. Writers and industry professionals discuss how to position their work in a competitive market while staying true to the stories they need to tell.
Introduction: Caden Gamez, SMU Freshman and novelist
Moderator: Jacob Rubin
Participants: Yahdon Israel, Lauren Cerand, Will Evans, Ali Kominsky
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
(On the Lawn)
Leoncarlo Musical Performance
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
My Style: Fashion and Sports Writing
How Fashion and Sports Define Cultural Identity
Fashion and sports are more than entertainment—they’re reflections of national and cultural identity. Writers in this panel discuss how style and athletics shape the stories we tell about ourselves and our countries, exploring the intersection of history, race, and self-expression.
Introduction: Meighan Ashford, SMU Undergraduate Fashion Media major & Dante Wesley II, defensive player for the SMU MUSTANGS football team, majoring in Mechanical Engineering
Moderator: Sara Idacavage
Participants: Ethan Lascity, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tara Donaldson
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Contemporary Poetry
Crafting Identity Through Verse
Poetry is a nation of its own—one that transcends borders while remaining deeply personal. These contemporary poets discuss how their work reflects personal, cultural, and national identities, using language to explore heritage, displacement, and belonging.
Introduction: TBD
Moderator: Katie Condon
Participants: A. Van Jordan, Tyehimba Jess, John Murillo
3 PM - 4:30 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg
Writing About Place—Can You Ever Go Home Again?
Exploring the Meaning of Home in Literature
Can you ever truly return to where you came from? Writers explore themes of nostalgia, migration, and changing landscapes, discussing how personal and national histories shape the way we view home. This panel examines how place influences storytelling and how writers wrestle with their evolving sense of country.
Introduction: Jordan Young, SMU undergraduate and creative writer
Moderator: DaMaris Hill
Participants: Deesha Philyaw, Latoya Watkins, Renee Simms
Crystal Donkor with Tomi Adeyemi/Conference Closing
Crystal Donkor with Tomi Adeyemi/Conference Closing
Introduction-- UcheChukwu Agbo
Closing: Reimagining Country Through Storytelling
Tomi Adeyemi, celebrated for her powerful fantasy novels rooted in African heritage, joins Crystal Donkor for a discussion on reimagining country through storytelling. From myth-making to historical retellings, they explore how literature can redefine national and cultural identity, shaping the future of how we see ourselves and our histories.
**Reception in Gallery 1911**
4:45 PM - 6:30 PM
Oren Auditorium/Hughes Trigg