Evgenia Citkowitz met Mona Simpson around 35 years ago – she was the latter’s summer intern at The Paris Review. On Tuesday, Simpson, a novelist and English professor at UCLA, will moderate a book talk at the Hammer Museum centered around Citkowitz’s new fictional novel “The Shades,” which was released June 19. Read more...

Photo: Author Evgenia Citkowitz will discuss her novel “The Shades” at the Hammer Museum moderated by English professor Mona Simpson. Citkowitz will read an excerpt of her novel, which explores the anguish of a family following the death of their 16-year-old daughter. (Courtesy of Natalya Sands)

This post was updated Jan. 11 at 5:02 p.m. Swimming has become an empowering activity for young women in Zanzibar. Photos of them learning to swim, an activity unprecedented for women in Zanzibar, are the subject of alumna Anna Boyiazis’ series “Finding Freedom in the Water.” Boyiazis will discuss her project Saturday at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Anna Boyiazis’ photography series “Finding Freedom in the Water” shows women in Zanzibar learning to swim. Swimming has traditionally been discouraged among women, but the photo series displays empowered women who break cultural norms. (Courtesy of Anna Boyiazis)