Green Roof Poetry brings together some of the Twin Cities’ most dynamic writers for an evening of literary readings. On June 22 All My Relations Art’s Native Authors program will offer readings from writers and mentors of the program to celebrate the upcoming 2022 writers public reading events. You’ll hear the sounds of DJ Austin Owen and the words of Art Coulson, Janice Bad Moccasin, Rosetta Peters, and Tashia Hart. Bring your blanket, pick up curated picnic snacks and libations at Cardamom, and relax for an evening of fresh-air readings presented with All My Relations Arts, NACDI, and Public Art Saint Paul as part of the Wakpa Triennial.
Galleries are open late and free on Thursday nights from 5–9 pm.
Bios
All My Relations Arts’ Native Authors Program supports all aspects of development of Native authors in genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, children’s fiction, and young adult fiction. Under the program facilitator and mentorship of leaders like Art Coulson and Diane Wilson, authors will expand their practice and engage in the development of their focus. More information about All My Relations Arts’ Native Authors Program is available here.
Art Coulson is a writer of Cherokee, English and Dutch descent and comes from a family of storytellers in all three traditions. Coulson served as the first executive director of the Wilma Mankiller Foundation in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma after an award-winning 25-year career in journalism, including a stint as editorial page editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He is the author of more than a dozen books, graphic novels and plays. The Reluctant Storyteller (2020) was named a best book of 2020 by Bank Street and American Indians in Children’s Literature. Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi! was named a best STEM children’s book by the National Science Teaching Association in 2021 and was featured on the inaugural broadcast of Reading Rainbow Live!. His short stories have appeared in anthologies from Benchmark and Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins. Coulson is represented by Jacqui Lipton at The Tobias Literary Agency.
Janice Bad Moccasin is a Dakota/Lakota Spiritual Advisor who has shared ceremonial based healing work with individuals, families, and communities who have been impacted by trauma. She is a visionary thinker, eloquent speaker, and has been writing a collection titled Java Reflections on social media for the past 6 years and has empowered an audience. Bad Moccasin is part of the Native American Women’s Writing Cohort. She is writing a memoir which takes you on a journey of transforming trauma to awakening an inner freedom voice who carries forward her ancestor’s resilience, teachings, and personal ceremonial healing.
Rosetta “Rosie” Peters is a Minnesota-based poet, author, public speaker, storyteller, and activist, and has performed her poetry at several venues including The Loft, The Black Dog, The Troubador, Penumbra Theater, Stillwater Prison, and many more, usually with live musical accompaniment by composer and musician JG Everest, with whom she has been closely collaborating since 2017. She is the recipient of a 2020 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant and a 2021 MRAC Next Step Grant. In 2022, Peters + Everest recorded and released a chapbook album of original pieces titled The Hummingbird’s Dance. Peters is excited to be a part of the revitalization of her ancestral language, Dakota. She is of Yankton, Crow Creek, and Oglala descent. She hopes to learn the language and pass it on to future generations. She is a single mother of six beautiful children, four daughters and two sons.
Tashia Hart (Red Lake Anishinaabe) is an award-winning author and illustrator of Gidjie and the Wolves (Not Too Far Removed Press, 2020) and Girl Unreserved (2015). Her works include a cookbook, The Good Berry: Harvesting and Preparing Wild Rice and Other Wild Foods (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2021); Native Love Jams, a romantic comedy (forthcoming); and a comic book, Kid Epicurious (forthcoming). She is the illustrator of three books in the Minnesota Native American Lives Series (Wise Ink Creative Publishing, 2020), and her short works include recipes and essays for PBS, First Nations Development Institute and others.
Accessibility
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.
)
)
)
)
)
)