By Tressa Versteeg

Margaret Randall-a New Mexican social activist, photographer, writer and artist-read poetry excerpts from one of her books, attended a public showing of a documentary of her life and participated in a small-group discussion of the documentary.The documentary, “The Unapologetic Life,” was shown in the John B. Davis Lecture Hall on April 8 and had about five attendees. Claire Schuch ’11, who attended all of Randall’s events on campus, said the documentary was very honest and did not just glorify Randall’s life.

Schuch said that Randall seemed to have a hard time watching it because her children are interviewed in the movie and they say how hard it was to have a mother that was not around and that sent them to boarding school.

The discussion after the documentary was very intimate and rewarding, Schuch said.

On April 9, Randall read passages from the most recent of her 80 books, “Stones Witness,” in the Kagin Ballroom to a crowd of 13. She read first person narratives and poems from her book about some of her experiences working in Cuba and Vietnam, and about her quest to unveil a memory of an ancient Greek statue called Samothrace.

“She inspired me to listen to and hear everyone’s story,” Jacque Kutvirt ’11 said, “because I feel as though that is what she has done in her life and this is why she has so much to share with us today.”

The last Randall event, “The Artist’s Voice: A Cuban Perspective,” was held on April 10 in the John B. Davis Lecture Hall. About 30 people listened to Randall talk about Cuba’s relationship with the United States and about how Fidel Castro changed Cuba.

Schuch said she had not heard of Randall before this week’s series.

“I kept going to events because I wanted to learn more about her,” Schuch said. “I want to read her books.”

“Her personality sets an example, even though I do not agree with everything she did or think it’s all good,” Schuch said. “She’s just a really honest and strong person and I thought that was really admirable.