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KMUW and The Wichita Public Library are partnering to present a special edition of Wichitalks as part of the 2025 NEA Big Read: Wichita at 7 pm on Friday, April 18th at the Advanced Learning Library.

Wichitalks is an eclectic and insightful event series featuring lightning-fast, 5-minute talks with 20 slides auto-advancing every 15 seconds. We bring together passionate individuals and an active audience for an evening of diverse presentations.

For the latest special NEA Big Read Edition of Wichitalks, we invite presentations on the theme of breaking barriers. This year's NEA Big Read selection is Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig.

We don't always notice it, but the world can often pose significant challenges if you don't fit societal norms or cultural expectations. Maybe it's a disability, as it is with the author of this year's book. Or maybe it's how you look, how you talk, your cultural heritage, a neurodivergence, or something else. While these differences don't always define us, they can significantly affect how we make our way in the world. How have your differences shaped your own identity and how others see you? How have they shaped your lived experience in the world, and how have you broken through barriers so that you can live fully and authentically? Can you make us laugh? Can you make us cry? Can you inspire us?

This year's speakers are:

  • Holly Terrill
  • Atziri Campos
  • Tony Mai
  • Iris Wigley
  • Josh Rathbun
  • Audra Dinell
  • Krista Reed
  • Courtney Price-Dukes
  • Ivonne Conover
  • David Akao

We’re also excited to welcome Felicia Rolfe as the emcee for this special edition of Wichitalks. Felicia is an award-winning anchor at KWCH and a Wichita State University graduate with more than 20 years of experience covering both local and national news.

Wichitalks will have an ASL interpreter.

Subscribe to our Wichitalks e-newsletter to be the first to know about upcoming events. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and check out the recordings of past events below.

Past Events