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Joy Harjo to give poetry reading, speak on social justice during virtual presentation

March 26, 2021

The University of Southern Indiana community is invited to join sitting U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo for a special virtual presentation at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 6. Harjo, the internationally renowned performer and writer, will speak as part of a series sponsored by We Stand Together, a national coalition of presidents and chancellors of 14 universities from across the country, who are bringing forward a message of unity to eradicate discrimination and racism.

A member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Harjo  was first appointed U.S. poet laureate by the Library of Congress in 2019 and is currently serving her second term as the nation's official poet. She is the first Native American to hold the title.

She will present from her home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, sharing her poetry and speaking about social justice, as well answering questions from the audience.

Harjo is author of nine books of poetry, including the highly acclaimed An American Sunrise, several plays and children's books, and two memoirs. Among her many honors, Harjo was given the Ruth Lily Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Poetry Foundation, the Academy of American Poets Wallace Stevens Award, two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and a Guggenheim Fellowship. As a musician and performer, Harjo has produced six award-winning albums, including her newest, I Pray for My Enemies.

Participants can register for the event by completing an online form. For more information about Harjo, visit her website, www.joyharjo.com. More information about the Together We Stand initiative through the national coalition of presidents and chancellors, is available on its website.

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