Olio MEL: Home & Nostalgia

​​Think Olio is an ongoing experiment in alternative adult learning to encourage curiosity, creative living, and face-to-face conversation.

​​We design Olios with professors, artists, and therapists to help you skip the small talk and make interesting, meaningful connections.

​This Olio aims to explore how writers and artists of the African Diaspora have tapped into the universal human experience of nostalgia while also exploring themes of cultural identity, belonging, and personal narratives. By analyzing a personal essay and a painting, we will develop a deeper understanding of the techniques used to convey nostalgic themes and gain an appreciation for the power of art and literature to capture the complexities of memory, emotion, and cultural heritage.

​This Olio was designed by Craft & Release, the brainchild of writers Glynn Pogue and Nneka Julia. Glynn Pogue is a writer and audio-storyteller from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Named one of Brooklyn Magazine’s 30 under 30, Glynn’s writing has been featured in Vogue, Travel + Leisure, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and National Geographic Traveler, among others.

​Nneka Julia is a Brooklyn-based Writer, Director, and Host. As the daughter of immigrants from Cambodia and Nigeria, her work focuses on the intersection of culture, travel, and the human experience. Her podcast, Passing Through, has ranked in the top 100 in US Society and Culture.

​*Event artwork by Margaret Thompson

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​​About the Olio Experience:

​​Olios are a shared exploration of the arts and humanities in living rooms around the world. An Olio is a space that celebrates the wisdom of each individual and our collective genius. Without a central facilitator, Olios thrive on group participation and every gathering is unique.

​​This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) Olio, signifying the absence of a central teacher. As a group, we will follow the lesson plan to facilitate our conversations and activities.