WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.940 align:middle line:90%


00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:06.360 align:middle line:90%
Hi, everyone.

00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:07.650 align:middle line:90%
I'm Diana Delgado.

00:00:07.650 --> 00:00:10.670 align:middle line:84%
I'm the literary director of
the University of Arizona Poetry

00:00:10.670 --> 00:00:11.540 align:middle line:90%
Center.

00:00:11.540 --> 00:00:15.140 align:middle line:84%
And I want to welcome everyone
to our inaugural episode

00:00:15.140 --> 00:00:18.260 align:middle line:84%
of the Institute for
Inquiry and Poetics.

00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:21.500 align:middle line:84%
The Institute founded at the
University of Arizona Poetry

00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:24.320 align:middle line:84%
Center is a thought
center designed

00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.750 align:middle line:84%
to create space
and time for poets

00:00:26.750 --> 00:00:28.580 align:middle line:84%
to respond to pressing
questions that

00:00:28.580 --> 00:00:32.000 align:middle line:84%
reside at the intersection
of social concern and poetry.

00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:34.640 align:middle line:84%
Encouraging
interdisciplinary modalities

00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.070 align:middle line:84%
and investigative
research, the Institute

00:00:37.070 --> 00:00:38.990 align:middle line:84%
will ask poets a
series of questions

00:00:38.990 --> 00:00:41.180 align:middle line:84%
and digitally archive
their responses

00:00:41.180 --> 00:00:43.080 align:middle line:90%
on poetry.arizona.edu.

00:00:43.080 --> 00:00:49.790 align:middle line:84%
Today, I'm excited to host
LeAnne Howe, Jennifer Foerster,

00:00:49.790 --> 00:00:52.820 align:middle line:84%
and Joy Harjo as part of
this year's theme Beyond

00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:53.990 align:middle line:90%
the Obvious.

00:00:53.990 --> 00:00:56.210 align:middle line:84%
And we're especially
excited to explore

00:00:56.210 --> 00:00:59.120 align:middle line:84%
how imaginative language
and poetry can help

00:00:59.120 --> 00:01:01.430 align:middle line:90%
create a sense of belonging.

00:01:01.430 --> 00:01:03.680 align:middle line:84%
We're grateful to the
Hurand Connection Fund

00:01:03.680 --> 00:01:05.420 align:middle line:84%
for partnering with
the Poetry Center

00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:09.430 align:middle line:84%
and for supporting this
conversation today.

00:01:09.430 --> 00:01:11.860 align:middle line:84%
In our program
tonight, each poet

00:01:11.860 --> 00:01:14.380 align:middle line:84%
will read for approximately
20 minutes sharing work

00:01:14.380 --> 00:01:16.810 align:middle line:84%
from the anthology When
the Light of the World

00:01:16.810 --> 00:01:19.210 align:middle line:84%
was Subdued, Our
Songs Came Through,

00:01:19.210 --> 00:01:23.020 align:middle line:84%
a Norton Anthology of
Native Nations Poetry,

00:01:23.020 --> 00:01:27.460 align:middle line:84%
an anthology that explores
this theme in interesting ways.

00:01:27.460 --> 00:01:31.520 align:middle line:84%
And then after that reading,
we'll be in conversation.

00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:34.970 align:middle line:84%
Before we begin, the University
of Arizona Poetry Center

00:01:34.970 --> 00:01:37.880 align:middle line:84%
must acknowledge that we exist
on the traditional homelands

00:01:37.880 --> 00:01:39.830 align:middle line:84%
of the Tohono O'odham,
who have cared

00:01:39.830 --> 00:01:41.480 align:middle line:90%
for these lands for centuries.

00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:43.640 align:middle line:84%
And as a guest in
these lands, I want

00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.550 align:middle line:84%
to acknowledge that we are
on occupied Tohono O'odham

00:01:46.550 --> 00:01:48.290 align:middle line:90%
territory.

00:01:48.290 --> 00:01:51.500 align:middle line:84%
Now, I'd like to
introduce Bojan Louis, who

00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:53.120 align:middle line:84%
will say a few words
of introduction

00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:56.690 align:middle line:84%
about the anthology and
who is a poet, friend,

00:01:56.690 --> 00:02:00.260 align:middle line:84%
and assistant professor
here in Arizona.

00:02:00.260 --> 00:02:03.770 align:middle line:84%
Bojan Louis, Diné, is the
author of the poetry collection

00:02:03.770 --> 00:02:07.880 align:middle line:84%
Currents, which received a
2018 American Book Award,

00:02:07.880 --> 00:02:11.270 align:middle line:84%
and the nonfiction chapbook
Troubleshooting Silence

00:02:11.270 --> 00:02:13.270 align:middle line:90%
in Arizona.

00:02:13.270 --> 00:02:16.010 align:middle line:84%
He is an assistant professor
in the creative writing

00:02:16.010 --> 00:02:17.900 align:middle line:84%
and American Indian
Studies programs

00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:20.180 align:middle line:90%
at the University of Arizona.

00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:23.080 align:middle line:84%
Bojan, thank you for
being here with us.