Writing Trauma: A Panel Discussion Conceptualized by Roxane Gay
We are proud to share the recording of the conversation we held on March 5th headlined by Presidential Visiting Fellow, Roxane Gay. We’d like to thank the panelists for their thoughtful contributions, Melanie Boyd for her leadership in steering the conversation, and all of our cosponsors (Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; the English Department; the Native American Cultural Center; and the Afro-American Cultural Center)!
In this panel discussion, Dr. Roxane Gay, Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom, Terese Mailhot, Aubrey Hirsch, and Saeed Jones, all writers who explore trauma in their work, discuss the complexities of writing trauma, how to write trauma ethically, how to write trauma without cannibalizing one’s experiences, how to balance the craft of writing with the craft of writing trauma, and ultimately, what it means to write trauma. Melanie Boyd, Director of the Office of Gender and Campus Culture, moderated the discussion.