The Spirit Room will host a second event of the Big Read Kickoff series in its five-month project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Dakota Humanities Council. The talk will feature poet Joy Harjo choosing some of her favorite pieces from An American Sunrise to read to the gathered public and discuss the inspirations/historical contexts. Afterward, there will be time for audience questions and answers and closing remarks. A concert will follow comprised of commissioned musical compositions performed by Max Johnk + Allweather.
In 2019, Joy Harjo was appointed the 23rd United States Poet Laureate, the first Native American to hold the position and only the second person to serve three terms in the role. Harjo’s nine books of poetry include An American Sunrise, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings, How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems, and She Had Some Horses. A renowned musician, Harjo performs with her saxophone nationally and internationally; her most recent album is I Pray For My Enemies. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
