The Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice and The Center for Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Studies at UNC Charlotte are delighted to host author and activist Kate Evans to discuss her work of graphic journalism: Threads from the Refugee Crisis. From Verso Publishing:  “In the French port town of Calais, the historic home of the lace industry, a city within a city has arisen. This new town, known as ‘the Jungle,’ is the home of thousands of refugees, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, all hoping, somehow, to get to the UK. Into this squalid shantytown of shipping containers and tents, full of rats and trash and devoid of toilets and safety, the artist Kate Evans brought a sketchbook and an open mind. Combining the techniques of eyewitness reportage with the medium of comic-book storytelling, Evans has produced this unforgettable book, filled with poignant images—by turns shocking, angering, wry, and heartbreaking.

“Weaving into the story hostile comments about the migrants from nativist politicians and Internet trolls, Threads addresses one of the most pressing issues of modern times—making a compelling case for compassionate treatment of refugees and the free movement of peoples. Evans’s creativity and passion as an artist, activist, and mother shine through.”

Interested in viewing a sample her work? Check out this article from The Guardian.

Reviews:

“Through Kate Evans’s firsthand report from the Calais ‘Jungle’ we meet the refugees, get a vivid look at their living conditions, and witness the impressive resourcefulness of the volunteer operation that sprang up to help. Evans transforms the human ‘flood’ into shimmering droplets as she works and eats with the refugees, getting to know them as individuals, forging intimate connections while sketching their portraits. Evans captures the wrenching reality of a seemingly intractable problem and makes an eloquent argument for its solution: open borders.”                          – Alison Bechdel, author of Are You My Mother? and Fun Home

“Utterly brilliant. The best book I’ve read this year.” – Steve Bell, The Guardian

“If it were a movie, you might call Red Rosa a tour de force, but that would be short-changing it…Stands out as a way to do biography right.” – Los Angeles Review of Books

“I admire it as an artist. I admire it as a writer. A huge achievement.” – Molly Crabapple

DETAILS

FREE EVENT

Date:  September 27th, 7pm – 9pm

Location:  The International House, 1817 Central Ave #215 Charlotte, NC 28205 http://www.ihclt.org

Books:  A limited supply of books will be available for purchase.  You can also bring your own for Kate Evans to sign.