Thursday, May 8th, 2025

Kaplan Hall Room #348 (third floor)

6:30 pm

This talk is co-sponsored by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles , the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies (CERS), and the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.

About the Event

To survive totalitarianism and retain their humanity, Czech women writers went underground to write, paint, sculpt, and create supportive communities. This event discusses Women Artistic Dissidents: Repelling Totalitarianism in pre-1989 Czechoslovakia and pays tribute to creative women dissidents. It explores fiction, poetry, and life-sustaining activities of Eva Švankmajerová, “Mother of Czech Surrealism,” and Eda Kriseová, journalist, fiction writer, essayist, and activist who served in President Václav Havel’s first Cabinet, among other Czech women who wrote and engaged in dissent during the years when Czechoslovakia ached under Soviet rule. This event highlights and unearths the work of women that is often undervalued and unacknowledged. Flanagan and Waisserová explore a variety of ways in which women resisted through literature and ecological activities, shedding new light on the ways in which individuals and communities can retain their humanity even as they resist and repel dictatorial regimes in their countries.

About the Speakers

Dr. Brenda Flanagan is a professor of creative writing, Caribbean and African-American literature. She has received numerous awards, including three Hopwood Awards, three NEH Fellowships, and a Michener Fellowship. A cultural ambassador for the U.S. Department of State, she has traveled extensively, particularly in Central Asia and the Middle East, often as the first American writer sent to certain regions in decades. She fell in love with Czech Republic, which she regularly visits for many years. She has become an honorary member of the Prague Surrealist group and formed strong friendships with Eva and Jan Svankmajer. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in various journals, and her published works include two novels (You Alone Are Dancing; Allah in the Islands), a collection of short stories (In Praise of Island Women & Other Crimes) and a play (When the Jumbiebird Calls). Recent activities include representing the U.S. at international book fairs and lecturing at universities globally. She co-authored a book, Women’s Artistic Dissent. Repelling Totalitarianism in Pre-1989 Czechoslovakia (Lexington Books, 2023).

Dr. Hana Waisserová is an associate professor of practice of Czech and Central European Studies and an affiliate of the Harris Centre for Judaic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She studied at Spelman College, GA, earned Ph.D. in Anglophone transnational literature from Palacky University, CR, and Gender Graduate Certificate from TAMU, TX. She has published articles concerning South Asian and Central European women’s transnational literature, women’s totalitarian experiences, women dissidents and their activism, medieval Czech literature, and Czech-American culture in Nebraska. Prior to working in academia, she lived in India and traveled widely in Europe, Asia, and East Africa, where she worked as an outdoor guide and a publicist. With Flanagan, co-authored a book, Women’s Artistic Dissent. Repelling Totalitarianism in Pre-1989 Czechoslovakia (Lexington Books, 2023).

Parking for Campus Visitors

The closest parking structure to Kaplan Hall is Structure 2, followed by Structure 5 and Structure 4. Parking rates vary by structure, so please refer to the rates here. 

VISITOR PARKING AREAS:

♦ Structure 2: Structure 2 has pay stations for visitors on the first and second floors. These floors are the only floors with visitor parking; there are also signs indicating which parking stalls are for visitors. The Google Maps link for the visitor’s section (“Pay Station Parking”) is here.

♦ Structure 4: Parking Structure 4, Visitor’s Section is located at 221 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095. The parking structure has visitor parking in level 1, and the entrance will state “Visitor’s Section” that guests enter through. The Google Maps link to the visitor’s section is here .

♦ Structure 5: Parking Structure 5, Visitor’s Section is located at 405 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095. The parking structure has visitor parking in both levels 4 and 6, and the entrance will state “Visitor’s Section” that guests enter through. The link to the visitor’s section is here .

HOW TO PAY FOR PARKING:
Self-service pay stations are located in all visitor parking areas. Visitors must pay for parking BEFORE they leave their vehicles. Visitor parking permits are not valid in parking stalls outside of the visitor parking section of the structure and stalls posted for Blue and X permits or otherwise reserved. 

1. All self-service pay stations use pay-by-plate technology.
2. Once parked, go to the nearest parking pay station
3. Enter your license plate number. If you do not have a license plate number, please enter the last 6 (six) digits of your Vehicle ID Number (VIN). Your VIN can be found on the driver’s side door or the lower driver’s side of the windshield.
4. Choose the amount of time that you would like to spend on campus.
5. Pay using the exact cash amount or with a credit card. For those using their VIN, please place your receipt on your dashboard, otherwise nothing else is required. Pay stations do not provide change. There are no refunds for pay station purchases.

Additional visitor parking information can be found on the UCLA Transportation website.