Under The Sun

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by Ruth Morris

Perhaps more than anyone else, writers understand the need for a safe place to pursue their craft. Unfortunately, in some countries a poem or an essay can lead to persecution, arrest, or worse.  Find out how writers like Russell Banks, Salman Rushdie and Wole Soyinka came to the aid of fellow writers by linking them with Cities of Refuge.  The U.S. chapter of this program operates in Las Vegas, Ithaca and Pittsburg, hosting poets and novelists from countries like Sierra Leone, China, Colombia and Iran.

Now Miami is on track to become the next “city of refuge.” In Episode 3: Literary South Florida, Under the Sun’s Ruth Morris explores what it’s like to have to flee your country because of something you wrote.  Click on the player above this post to listen. (-T.S.)

Funding for this episode provided by a grant from The Florida Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.