LAFS Library Virtual Exhibit World Poetry Day 2024

World Poetry Day originated in 1999, declared by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization to “support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard”.

This year, we called to our incredibly talented and creative community of students, staff, and alumni at LAFS/LARS to submit their work for this virtual exhibition.

We’ve received an overwhelming response to this call and are proud to showcase all of the poems here.

We also added some Poetry Resources below, please be sure to check it out!

We invite you to have a scroll and enjoy!

11Seven Sonnets
by Oheneba Koomson
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When I Met Jesus
by Lexus McCullick


Trigger Warning: Drug addiction; trials, tribulations
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God's Gift
by Alonzo Wright

WORLD LOST
by Pink Matzke

Fallen Angel
by Lisa Matzke


May contain/discuss sensitive subject matter, reader discretion is advised
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Hell on Earth
by Jordan Jett


This work may be considered profane, vulgar, or offensive.
Reader discretion is advised.
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Wuv on the Telefon
by Victor Macedo

Weather The Storm
by Kierani Burton (KB)
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Save Our Planet
by Addis Robinson

Still Here
by Venus Leone
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ITS 10-30 PM ON THE METRO E LINE AND I JUST WANT TO GO HOME
by Nathan Lee
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Shadows Beneath the Glow
by Jairo Tomico
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Old Smoke
by Christopher Costabile
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Angelic
by Anthony Ortiz

Ugly Yet Sweet Paradise​
by Chevanese Mitchell
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Defining
by Chevanese Mitchell
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Crumbles
by Chevanese Mitchell
Crumbles
by Chevanese Mitchell
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Poems Hide
by Vanessa Martinez
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Clouds
by Andie Crown
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Evole
by Tanzy Sydian
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Adrift
by Pauline Adamek
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A Parachutist’s Soliloquy
by Pauline Adamek
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D of the MT
by G. Jimenez Almanza
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LIVING TODAY
by Cassandra Smith
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I C U
by Amanda Downs
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LAFS LIBRARY POETRY RESOURCES

Available for checkout

eBooks

Videos

Disclaimer:

We do not own any of the images, poems or recordings shown on this blog post.

All works featured are owned by their respective creators.

Women’s History Month 2023

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

"CELEBRATING WOMEN WHO TELL OUR STORIES"

The National Women’s History Alliance has announced this year’s theme for Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories. We’ll be following their lead and highlighting not only women who have paved the way in all forms of media, but also women who are currently kicking butt and knocking down walls in every way imaginable. Spend some time this month showing your appreciation toward the women in your life and the women who have helped shape the world we live in.

Women often don’t get the credit they deserve for the work they put in. Check out these kick-butt ladies who are heavily involved (if not fully responsible) for the songwriting and production of these great songs!

Click the image below to learn more about some of the women who paved the way in the gaming industry in the 1980s via Google Arts & Culture

EVENTS

Women in the Music Industry
MARCH 25th

The inaugural event of 4THEGIRLIES is a panel of discussion and live performances featuring women in the music industry. (Panel of Discussion + Live Performances)

AFROANIMATION Summit 3.0
APRIL 26th + 27th

Networking opportunity! AfroAnimation 2023 is a 2-day Summit happening in Burbank, California. Dedicated to empowering diverse animators and creators from around the globe and enabling animation companies to find diverse talent.

New Filmmakers Los Angeles March Film Festival Infocus: Female Cinema
MARCH 18

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its March Monthly Film Festival and celebrates up-and-coming female talent behind the camera with this month’s InFocus: Female Cinema. The festival presents screenings of shorts, documentaries, and feature films that have been submitted from all over the world.
All of the programs are followed by a Q&A with each filmmaker. The program also offers a special reception so the audience can meet the filmmakers and incredible talent involved, while also networking with industry professionals

PLAN A: Black Women on the Rise Film Festival
MARCH 18th

Plan A: Black Women on the Rise Film Festival, is a showcase of short films by Black women to empower Black women. Come celebrate the artistry of filmmakers, producers, writers, and actors, to bridge the gap between emerging and established industry leaders.
The 8th annual festival is presented in partnership with WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center and M.P.A.C.T (More Positive Artists Coming Together)

Black History Month 2023

Black History Month 2023

It’s Black History Month! Join us in celebration as we shine the spotlight on some of the amazing Black media that has come out in the past year. From movies, to music, to books to podcasts– let’s take this time to acknowledge the contributions to culture and entertainment made by the Black community.

Black Excellence is in abundance in the art world

Click the image below to check out the digital exhibit that Google Arts & Culture put together for Black History Month

STOP BY THE LIBRARY AND SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT IN OUR COLLECTIONS

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH QWEST EDU

KEEP THE LEARNING GOING WITH THESE ONLINE RESOURCES

Winter Blog 2022

The LAFS Library Team would like to wish all of you a happy holiday season! To help you get into the spirit, we’ve put together this blog post with as much merriment and cheer as we could find.

We put together a list of all things Christmas that we offer for circulation in the library! Click through the slides or view the entire list here.

Also, check out the library staff’s personal recommendations for the month!

Don’t forget about our Creation Station! We’ve been slowly adding more activities for you to enjoy during your downtime. There’s games, origami tutorials, crayons & coloring pages. If you have any suggestions to make our Creation Station even better, we’re always open to new ideas!

The holidays aren’t complete without the right music. That’s why we made TWO playlists for your winter time enjoyment! Don’t forget to follow us on Spotify so you never miss a new playlist.

Top Library February Picks 2022

Top February Picks

February, along with being Black History Month (if you haven’t seen our blog post, you can find here! ) is the month of love! Here are some movies, scripts and playlists that we at the library just LOVE. 

The LAFS has Reopened to a limited capacity. Check out our website to see our temporary hours and come by to see us!

TOP MOVIE PICKS

Ever After: A Cinderella Story

The Brothers Grimm arrive at the home of a wealthy Grande Dame who speaks of the many legends surrounding the fable of the cinder girl before telling the “true” story of her ancestor.

When Harry Met Sally

Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.

The Princess Bride

While homesick in bed, a young boy’s grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.

TOP MOVIE SCRIPTS

The Big Sick

Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family’s expectations, and his true feelings.

My Bloody Valentine

Tom returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine’s night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people. Instead of a homecoming, Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders, and it seems like his old flame is the only one that believes he’s innocent.

27 Dresses

After serving as a bridesmaid 27 times, a young woman wrestles with the idea of standing by her sister’s side as her sibling marries the man she’s secretly in love with.

TOP SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS

We do not own the movie trailers or movie posters posted here. 

Library Newly Added Scripts Golden Globes 2022

new Golden Globes scripts

Each year the Golden Globes Awards Ceremony honors some of the most notable works in film. Here are some of the screenplays for this year’s nominees and winners.

 Use your LAFS Gmail account to access our collection of scripts.

Highlighted Scripts

West Side Story

Winner of Best Picture - Musical/Comedy

An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.

Belfast

Winner of Best Screenplay Motion Picture

A young boy and his working-class Belfast family experience the tumultuous late 1960s.

 

Encanto

Winner of Best Picture - Animated

A young Colombian girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.

 


Dune

Winner of Best Score Motion Picture

Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.

No Time to Die

Winner of Best Song Motion Picture

James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

*We do not own the movie trailers or movie posters posted here.

Library Resources for Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2022

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022

Here are some amazing resources to help celebrate the life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Take a moment to explore our curation of media dedicated to the memory of the iconic civil rights activist.

Video Footage from The Internet Archive Moving Image Collection

Martin Luther King Clip Reel

 

Nine short stories on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Stories include: King Holiday; MLK Wreath-Laying; Jackson/MLK; King/Civil Rights; Reagan/Kids; MLK Bust/Capitol; Andy Young Reflects; MLK Celebration/Atlanta; MLK Celebration/Washington, D.C.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Speech

 

A clip of the last speech that MLK ever gave.

The March on Washington

 

Scenes from Civil Rights March in Washington, D.C., August 1963. Speakers including Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Women at podium singing We Shall Overcome. Crowd swaying, singing, holding hands.

Speeches from The Internet Archive Audio Collection

1957 How To Love Your Enemies

I Have a Dream / Anti-War Demonstration / Artists Concerned with Vietnam

...Free At Last

Video Footage from EBSCO

Dr. Martin Luther King accepts 1964 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

The Reverend Martin Luther King is in St. Augustine Florida helping with anti-segregationist protests.

The Reverend Martin Luther King has been arrested in St. Augustine, Florida, while taking part in a demonstration against segregation in the resort, specifically the Monson Motor Lodge. Reverend Ralph Abernathy was also arrested.

US civil rights leader Martin Luther King has been released from Alabama jail

The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 10 Locations from Google Arts & Culture

Top Library December Picks 2021

Top December Picks

Happy Holidays from all of us here at the LAFS Library! Here are some of our favorite picks for December! Whatever you celebrate, we wish you the best and have a great rest of the year!

TOP MOVIE PICKS

Let it Snow

A snowstorm hits a small midwestern town, bringing together a group of high school students. They soon find their friendships and love lives colliding, and come morning, nothing will be the same.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas

The Live-action retelling of one of Dr. Seuss’s beloved stories. On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.

TOP MOVIE SCRIPTS

The Royal Tenenbaums

The eccentric members of a dysfunctional family reluctantly gather under the same roof for various reasons.

Home Alone

An eight-year-old trouble-maker must protect his home from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

A Christmas Story

In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie attempts to convince his parents, his teacher and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.

TOP SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS

Holiday Playlist

The Library Team  wishes you a very happy holiday! Enjoy this festive mix of some of our favorite music to put on while you study, during your holiday parties or just to get you in the mood!

Chill Holidays

For those who are looking for a more laid back playlist, here is one just for you. 

Holiday songs for everyone

We know that there are lots of holidays being celebrated around this time.  Here is a playlist that is fitting for all. Happy Holidays!

TOP BOOKS

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic…and then her bus drives away.

Certain they’re fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn’t find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they “reunite” at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It’s Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

Mr. Dickens and his Carol by Samantha Silva

Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer’s block sets in.

Frazzled and filled with self-doubt, Dickens seeks solace in his great palace of thinking, the city of London itself. On one of his long night walks, in a once-beloved square, he meets the mysterious Eleanor Lovejoy, who might be just the muse he needs. As Dickens’ deadlines close in, Eleanor propels him on a Scrooge-like journey that tests everything he believes about generosity, friendship, ambition, and love. The story he writes will change Christmas forever.

P.S. Your Cat is Dead by James Kirkwood

It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City. Your best friend died in September, you’ve been robbed twice, your girlfriend is leaving you, you’ve lost your job…and the only one left to talk to is the gay burglar you’ve got tied up in the kitchen… P.S. your cat is dead.

An instant classic upon its initial publication, P.S. Your Cat is Dead received widespread critical acclaim and near fanatical reader devotion. The stage version of the novel was equally successful and there are still over 200 new productions of it staged every year. Now, for the first time in a decade, James Kirkwood’s much-loved black humor comic novel of manners and escalating disaster returns to bewitch and beguile a new generation.

We do not own the movie trailers or movie posters posted here. 

Library November 2021 Top Picks

New & nice November Picks

Its been a rough couple of months, so we are taking a break to show some nice and new things both in entertainment and in our collection! Here are some new movies, screenplays & books that just put a smile on our faces! 

NEW MOVIE PICKS

The Eternals

The Eternals, a race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, reunite to battle the evil Deviants.

 

Currently Only in Theaters.

Red Notice

In the world of international crime, an Interpol agent attempts to hunt down and capture the world’s most wanted art thief.

Free Guy (2021)

When a bank teller discovers he’s actually a background player in an open-world video game, he decides to become the hero of his own story — one that he can rewrite himself. In a world where there’s no limits, he’s determined to save the day his way before it’s too late, and maybe find a little romance with the coder who conceived him.

NEW SCRIPTS

Dune (2021)

Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.

King Richard

A look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard Williams.

The Tomorrow War

The world is stunned when a group of time travellers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: thirty years in the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species.

NICE BOOKS

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.

Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

We do not own the movie trailers or movie posters posted here. 

October Podcast Spotlight: Horror Fiction

Podcast Highlight: October Horror

It’s the Scariest time of the year! These podcasts are sure to make you want to leave a light on before going to sleep and give you goosebumps galore!

Please note that these are not suitable for all ages and audiences. Please read any trigger warnings that may be in the Podcast notes before listening. 

NoSleep Podcast

Originally based off the stories from the Reddit r/nosleep forum, The Nosleep Podcast is 10 years strong.

With a myriad cast of characters, each episode is sure to cause hours of sleepless nights, wondering if the shape in the corner of your room was always there, or if its just a figment of your imagination. 

Please be advised that the stories range in ratings. Listener discretion is advised. 

The Magnus Archives

What would you do if you were faced with your worst fears, made reality? Thats what The Magnus archives aims to ask.

Jonathon Simms, the new Head Archivist at the Magnus Institute, reads and records statements of people who have experienced strange, odd, and paranormal activity.  But the deeper he delves into the mysteries that are brought to him, the more he discovers that there are more to these statements than meets the eye.

A full and completed series, the Magnus Archives is a truly terrifying horror fiction podcast that is not only scary but will make you ask: What are you really afraid of? 

Nightlight

A brand new horror podcast made by Black authors and performed by Black actors. This Horror anthology is on the rise as perhaps some of the most terrifying stories ever listened to. 

Each episode will showcase a different story by a different author, giving the listener a chance to explore authors that are often overshadowed. 

Knifepoint Horror

Written and Produced by Soren Narina, Knifepoint horror is truly a work of art. Pulling fears from your subconscious in new, terrifying and spooky ways, Soren provides  stories  to delight even the most avid horror enthusiast. 

Just don’t forget to sleep with a light on after you listen to the  Knifepoint Horror Podcast. 

Old Gods of Appalachia

” In the mountains of central Appalachia, blood runs as deep as these hollers and just as dark. Since before our kind knew these hills, hearts of unknowable hunger and madness have slumbered beneath them. These are the oldest mountains in the world.” – OGA Summary

With old world charm and storytelling, Old Gods of Appalachia mixes real world events with fiction to create a truly chilling atmosphere. With an award winning soundscape design and a top notch written script, Old Gods is not to be missed. Trust us when we say that you will not be disappointed in listening to these chilling tales.  

Chilling Tales for Dark Nights

Chilling Tales for Dark Nights is a true  horror fiction anthology classic.  Each episode features several creepy tales from incredibly talented authors,  professional voice actors, and accompanied by SFX and music.

Having started in 2016, this podcast has over 200 episodes and something for everyone to make their skin crawl. Not a podcast to be overlooked or missed this October. 

We do not own the podcasts, links, or podcast images posted here. 

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