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Joy Harjo was named the United States poet laureate in June 2019 and is the first Native American poet laureate in the history of the position, according to a press release.

Riverland Community College, in conjunction with Central Lakes College, is hosting a live virtual reading from Harjo from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday.   Anyone can tune in and listen to the free program via YouTube by visiting https://bit.ly/3eBgKcE.

The event is part of a long running poetry reading series, “Verse Like Water,” coordinated by CLC/Riverland adjunct faculty member Jeff Johnson and local champion Jon Olseth. It is supported by multiple grants, including the Olseth Family Foundation, which has purchased 1,250 copies of Harjo’s latest collection of poetry, “An American Sunrise.”

Those who would like books and plan to attend virtually should connect with Kelly Downey at kelly.downey@riverland.edu.

The books are being made available for free as long as supplies last to honors/PTK students, faculty who want to use it in any of their classes, and to any partner high school concurrent enrollment classes who want to participate in the event.  In addition, we have made a special effort to reach out to provide books to high schools across the state that have significant indigenous student population.