This is the early September MAPACA Newsletter. The next conference is November 8-10, 2018 (Baltimore, MD).
In this newsletter, we have:
2018 Divine Impact Award Announcement
Registration for #mapaca18
Hotel Information for #mapaca18
Special Events at #mapaca18
Student Workers Needed
2018 Divine Impact Award Recipient: Rabia Chaudry
We are pleased to announce our 2018 winner of the Divine Impact Award, Rabia Chaudry. A longtime resident of Baltimore, Ms. Chaudry is a wife, mother, attorney, and a 2016 Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow at U.S. Institute of Peace, where she researched the intersection of religion and violent extremism. Ms. Chaudry brought Adnan Sayed’s story to the attention of Sarah Koenig, who turned it into the popular podcast Serial, launching the true crime podcast phenomenon. While Serial was popular, Ms. Chaudry wanted to continue working for justice for Adnan Sayed and others like him, so she started her own podcast, Undisclosed, with two other lawyers. Undisclosed, which has reached over 2 million downloads, covers cases of wrongful conviction and police misconduct, and partners with the Innocence Project to overturn wrongful convictions. Ms. Chaudry is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Adnan’s Story, which delves further into the evidence in Sayed’s case. We are honored to present Ms. Chaudry with our 2018 Divine Impact Award. Ms. Chaudry will participate in a Q&A and reception at our November conference. For more information about Ms. Chaudry and Undisclosed, please see http://www.rabiachaudry.com/ and http://undisclosed-podcast.com/
Registration for #mapaca18
Don’t forget to register for #mapaca18! The regular registration deadline is 9/14/18. Go to mapaca.net to register for this year’s conference, dinner, and special events!
Dinner at #mapaca18:
All registered participants who make a reservation are welcome at our annual meeting and dinner at no additional cost. You may also purchase a dinner reservation for a guest who is not registered for the conference.
However, please help MAPACA keep conference costs low and avoid food waste by reserving your spot at dinner only if you have firm plans to attend our dinner meeting on Friday night. If you do not know your dinner plans, please do not order a dinner reservation at registration. If your plans change, please email ED@mapaca.net by October 1st to either be added to or to be removed from the reservation list, whichever applies.
Need Help with Registration?
Can’t remember what you ordered or if you are registered? Your 2018 registration status is indicated in your profile. If you purchased your own registration, program, tour, etc. you can also log in and look at your orders in your profile. You can also print invoices from your profile.
If someone else purchased your registration or if you need to purchase a printed program or change your dinner plans please contact ED@mapaca.net.
Hotel Information for #mapaca18
Reserve your room in the Lord Baltimore Hotel! Conference rate rooms will go fast: Guests may book by calling 855-539-1928 or by going online to https://reservations.travelclick.com/85390?groupID=1977708.
Special Events at #mapaca18
Play Studies:
What better place to enjoy Victorian Era entertainment than the historic Lord Baltimore Hotel? Join Play Studies for an irreverent experience playing parlor games! We’ll briefly discuss the background of this genre, consider familiar favorites as well as some more contemporary and unusual games, and play a round or two. Take a break from the normal panel format and come play!
Food Studies Round Table and Farmers Market Visit:
Food Studies will host a roundtable on the local food movement in the Mid-Atlantic region at 9:00-10:15 Saturday. Panelists will speak about the increase in interest in local food sources, artisan food producers, and farm to table chefs and restaurants. Afterward, they will walk to a local Farmer’s market (Lexington Market, .4mi from the hotel), discuss local food production, and folks can get lunch.
Writing and Urban Culture:
Please join area chair Blagovesta Momchedjikova for a unique workshop on writing about urban culture. Past topics include food in the city, urban performances, and urban memories. Enter the ranks of the myriad writers who have taken the city as their inspiration by penning your own story of the ever-evolving miracle of the human will.
Mt. Vernon Ghost Tour:
Please join us Friday evening as we embark on a ghost walk of Baltimore’s oldest neighborhood, Mt. Vernon. Tour guides from Baltimore Ghost Tours℠ will be sure to scare up some frightening facts about this storied section of the city, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. The tour will begin at 8:30 pm in the lobby of the Belvedere Hotel, a short walk from our conference site. Ticket price ($13) includes a tip for the guide. Space is limited, so reserve your tickets today for some fearsome fun! To register please go to: https://mapaca.net/store/2018/baltimore-ghost-tour.
#mapaca18 Seeks Student Workers
MAPACA seeks undergraduate and graduate students to work the conference check-in desk and other miscellaneous tasks required to run a conference. If you are a student interested in volunteering or want to learn more about compensation contact ED@mapaca.net.
Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA)
P.O. Box 25033 Philadelphia, PA 19147-0033