Blog posting written by Jennifer Barish, Communication Management & Design ‘14, FLEFF intern, Skokie, IL  (the largest village in the world)

A lot of the time, people tell me to quiet down. I talk too loudly, too often, and with too much food in my mouth. Standing proudly at five feet tall and one inch, I tend to make my presence known through quick-talking and uninhibited laughter.

I am not afraid to start conversations with strangers in the grocery checkout line (speaking of food, I highly suggest this restaurant when arriving in Ithaca for FLEFF), and I will usually give them my opinion. Loudly.

Naturally, I chose a major in the Roy H. Park School of Communications. As a Communication Management and Design Major, I wanted to develop my skills in articulating change while having the flexibility to learn about art, literature, and music. I have done an eclectic array of things on campus from working at 92 WICB to exploring Ithaca’s gorges and EcoVillage. FLEFF is a fantastic extension of my multi-faceted life on and off campus.

In the past few weeks working with the FLEFF staff, I found their approach to understanding the world incredibly powerful and effective. The interdisciplinary mergence of art, science, film, and politics is the only way to start comprehending the complex environmental crisis. This festival will start conversations through multiple lenses (pun intended) and is a multi-generational forum for discussion and debate.

There will also be a lot of wine and popcorn.

At our first meeting, Patricia Zimmerman told the blogging staff that festivals are all about conversation. She encouraged us to show up in her office early and often for face-to-face interactions. As a new writer for this massive celebration of thought, adding to the dialogue will be my most significant contribution, and I want to talk to even more strangers in grocery check out lines. I challenge you to read about this year’s theme, “microtopias” and start thinking. And talking.

In fact, I dare you to begin. How will you start the conversation?