Western Washington University

02/09/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 02/09/2026 12:33

Whatcom READS Event & Display Featuring Multimodal Art & Writing by WWU Students

Whatcom READS Event & Display Featuring Multimodal Art & Writing by WWU Students

February 9, 2026

Western Libraries will host a special panel presentation Wednesday, Feb. 18 featuring student research exploring different aspects of this year's Whatcom READS book, "Solito," by Javier Zamora.

The presentation from from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will also include a session for students to share research and art-based projects through posters and conversation. Light refreshments will be available during the event.

Students from English 347 (Studies in Young Adult Literature) and Ethnic Studies 314 (Latinx Migration) conducted research and created multimodal art pieces using a variety of mediums, (including paint, papier mache, photo collage and others), which they paired with quotes from "Solito" expressing aspects of their exploration and reading experiences.

The themes include 'Analyzing 'Solito' Language,' 'Family, and Art;' 'Media and Historical Analysis of Immigration;' and 'Issues of Child Immigration.' Students from the course studying young adult literature read "Solito" as part of their unit on nonfiction young adult literature and analyzed the memoir as a genre for community cultural wealth and counter stories.

Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17, some of the art pieces will be exhibited at Western Libraries in the display case near the circulation desk (Haggard 2) and also in the display case at the end of the Mann Family Skybridge.

This event is free and open to the public and is offered as part of the Whatcom READS series of programs and events, in partnership with WWU and Western Libraries.

Whatcom READS is a community reading program organized by all the public and academic libraries in Bellingham and Whatcom County in partnership with Village Books, the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library, and Whatcom County Library Foundation, with support from other local businesses and organizations.

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