GITA is very excited to be hosting Dr. J Finley as our 33rd Annual Bridge Speaker on Thursday February 27th, 2025.
Dr. J Finley is a critical, an interdisciplinary scholar who studies Black women’s history, performance, and cultural expression. Her current research focuses on the performative and political efficacy of Black women’s humor and comedy. Specifically, Finley conducts ethnographic and interdisciplinary analyses of humor and comedic materials, paying close attention to how various aspects of history, identity and experience influence and saturate Black women’s expressive practices.
The title of Dr. Finley's talk is titled Black Women’s Humor and the Politics of Joy and will be held Thursday February 27th, 2025, in the Tivoli 320s at 11am.
Later that afternoon, Dr. Finley will be also hosting a small comedy and writing workshop for students titled Experience, Practice, Art: Stand-up Writing for Beginners. Workshop participants will receive a copy of J. Finley's book Sass: Black Women's Humor and Humanity.
Workshop Description:
In this interactive workshop, participants will be introduced to the practice of writing jokes for the stand-up stage. Within a supportive, fun, and encouraging environment, we will go through the process of producing jokes from our unique experiences, personalities, and perspectives on the world. Within the space of about an hour, participants will have the opportunity to discuss and try out techniques to generate material, take emotional risks, and tell a few jokes!
Students can register to attend this workshop here: msudenver.qualtrics.com….