BorderlandsSymposium

University of Maine at Farmington Media Release

University of Maine at Farmington Explores North American Border Issues with “Borderlands Symposium”— March 31-April 8

FARMINGTON, ME (March 24, 2011)--The University of Maine at Farmington is proud to present the “Borderlands Symposium,” an insightful series of talks, workshops, performances and films to illustrate some of the social, economic, political and ecological issues that exist along North America’s borders. This series of events is free and open-to-the-public and will be held between March 31 and April 8 at venues across the UMF campus.

UMF’s Borderlands Symposium brings together interdisciplinary creative thinkers and activists from along the U.S.-México and U.S.-Canadian borders with community organizers in Maine who work with migrant laborers throughout the state, to create a space where frank discussions about contemporary immigration and social justice concerns can take place.

The goal of the symposium is to engage the campus and local communities in a dialogue that will catalyze attention on how various individuals, either acting alone or collaboratively, are actively creating transnational communities in which our destinies and aspirations are in one another’s hands. According to joint organizers of the forum—Gustavo Aguilar, UMF assistant professor of experimental performance, and Gaelyn Aguilar, UMF assistant professor of anthropology—the symposium will be a wonderful opportunity for students and community members to come together as they consider some of the challenging immigration issues that face all North Americans today.

The UMF Borderlands Symposium events are sponsored by the University’s Culture Committee; Office of the Provost; Diversity Committee; Division of Social Sciences, Business, and Global Studies; Office of the Assistant Provost; and Department of Sound, Performance, and Visual Inquiry. Anyone interested in additional information can visit the Borderlands Symposium website at http://umf.maine.libguides.com/Borderlands.

UMF Borderlands Symposium events include:

Deterritorializing Paul Bunyan: Re-Writing the Myth 9:50–11:30 a.m., Thursday, March 31 UMF Art Gallery An open-structured, public gathering in which written excerpts from stories about Paul Bunyan become the catalyst for collectively re-writing the myth. Space is limited. To register, please contact Gaelyn Aguilar at gaelyn.aguilar@maine.edu.

Deterritorializing Paul Bunyan: Re-Patriating Paul Bunyan 9 a.m., Saturday, April 2 Meet outside UMF Dearborn Gym A road trip to Bangor to photograph the statue of Paul Bunyan and collect relevant artifacts surrounding his presence. To sign up for the road trip, please contact Gustavo Aguilar at gustavo.aguilar@maine.edu.

Book Discussion - Death of Josseline: Immigration Stories from the Arizona Borderlands 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Monday, April 4 Mantor Library Browsing Room (1st floor) In January 2008, Josseline Quinteros died while trying to cross from Mexico into the United States. Come and be part of this timely conversation about our southern border and the people who cross it, as UMF prepares for the arrival of Dan Millis, the Sierra Club member and humanitarian activist who found Josseline’s body in the desert.

Ah Raza! The Making of an American Artist 7:30–9:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 5 Alumni Theater Set against the backdrop of Aguilar’s hometown of Brownsville, Texas, this performance with Tug (Gustavo Aguilar and Gaelyn Aguilar) presents an intertwining of various sonic environments (sound ethnography and an original score) with an intersection of a multiplicity of gazes (video ethnography and still photography).

Anxious Frontiers in a Global Economy 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesday, April 6 The Landing, UMF Student Center Panel discussion on borders and borderlands with Ricardo Dominguez, Dan Millis, Lee Rodney, and Justin Langlois.

De-Territorializing Paul Bunyan: Paul Bunyan in the 21st Century 3–5 p.m., Wednesday, April 6 Mantor Library Browsing Room (1st floor) Lee Rodney and Justin Langlois join us for the grand opening of the UMF/Farmington Paul Bunyan Research Hub.

The Spectacle of Surveillance: Ricardo Dominguez and Dan Millis 7:30–10 p.m., Wednesday, April 6 The Landing, UMF Student Center Ricardo Dominguez discusses electronic civil disobedience, digital zapatismo and transborder interventions. Dan Millis’ presentation will include a screening of the Sierra Club border film "Wild Versus Wall" followed by an in-depth conversation/slideshow concerning the ecological effects of enforcement and infrastructure in the four states that share boundaries with Mexico.

De-Territorializing Paul Bunyan: Designing the Tactical Bunyan Suit v2.0 9:50 a.m.–12 p.m., Thursday, April 7 Location: TBA Students, community members, and symposium participants are invited to collaborate on the initial design phase of the tactical Bunyan suit v2.0—redesigned modern border-crosser attire.

“Sleep Dealer” Film Screening and Discussion 7:30–9:30 p.m., Thursday, April 7 Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center The film “Sleep Dealer” is set in a future world marked by closed borders and a global computer network that joins minds and experiences, as three strangers risk their lives to break the barriers of technology.

Closer to Home: Migrant Health and Education in the State of Maine 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m., Friday, April 8 Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center A presentation and conversation on migrant and seasonal workers in Maine by Eric Holman, Fabiola Ortiz, Debbie Gilmer, and Maria Millard



Media contacts: Gustavo Aguilar, UMF assistant professor of experimental performance, at 207-778-7896, or gustavo.aguilar@maine.edu; and Gaelyn Aguilar, UMF assistant professor of anthropology, gaelyn.aguilar@maine.edu

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All the best, April -- April Mulherin Associate Director of Media Relations University of Maine at Farmington 207-778-7081