Green Roof Poetry: Curated by Danez Smith
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Green Roof Poetry: Curated by Danez Smith

Adults sit on a hillside outdoors and lsiten to a person speaking at a microphone
Green Roof Poetry: Queering Juneteenth, Curated by Free Black Dirt. Photo: Awa Mally. Courtesy Walker Art Center.

Green Roof Poetry brings together some of the Twin Cities’ most dynamic writers for an evening of literary readings on the Walker’s hillside. Bring your blanket, pick up curated picnic snacks and libations at Cardamom, and relax for an evening of fresh-air readings curated by local and national poets.

Galleries are open late and free on Thursday nights from 5–9 pm.

Danez Smith is the author of three collections, including Homie and Don’t Call Us Dead. They have won the Forward Prize for Best Collection, the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry, the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and have been a finalist for the NAACP Image Award in Poetry, the National Book Critic Circle Award, and the National Book Award. Danez’s poetry and prose has been featured in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The New Yorker, GQ, Best American Poetry, and on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Danez is a member of the Dark Noise Collective. Former co-host of the Webby-nominated podcast VS (Versus), they are the recipient of fellowships from the Poetry Foundation, Princeton, United States Artists, the McKnight Foundation, the Montalvo Arts Center, Cave Canem, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Danez has been featured as part of Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 list and is the winner of a Pushcart Prize. They live in Minneapolis near their people.

ASL is planned for all Green Roof Poetry programs.

Follow the paved path on the hillside for an accessible route to the event. There will be two accessible seating spaces on level grassy areas on the hillside—one at the bottom of the hill and one halfway up the hill. These spaces are next to a paved path and will have chairs for people who need them. Staff members stationed around the hillside will be able to assist with accessible seating.

To request accommodations for these programs or for more information about accessibility, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.

For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.

Free Thursday Nights are sponsored by