NEA Big Read: Phoenix
A celebration of Indigenous literary arts and culture
NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
In Spring of 2021, the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University proudly received a Big Read Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Inspired by The Round House by Anishinaabe author Louise Erdrich, the NEA Big Read: Phoenix featured over 25 talks, workshops, book clubs, performances, art exhibitions and other virtual events celebrating Indigenous literary arts and culture across the Valley during February and March 2021. We also gave away over 250 books for free.
Keep reading to find events. You can also meet our partners, learn more about The Round House, or enter the book giveaway.
To find additional library and community resources on The Round House, you can view the ASU Library Guide at https://libguides.asu.edu/the-round-house.
Find Events with the NEA Big Read
NEA Big Read Book Giveaway
Arizona Humanities
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2021 - 11:45pm
Location: n/a
Ready to start reading? To help share the joy, we're giving away over 250 copies of The Round House for free.
Location: n/a
Ready to start reading? To help share the joy, we're giving away over 250 copies of The Round House for free.
Book Club Meet and Greet
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Location: Online (WebEx)
Interested in running a book club on The Round House by Louise Erdrich? Come up with questions, go over strategies and tips, and get ready with an informal book club training and meet and greet!
Location: Online (WebEx)
Interested in running a book club on The Round House by Louise Erdrich? Come up with questions, go over strategies and tips, and get ready with an informal book club training and meet and greet!
Labriola Show and Share
ASU Library Labriola Center
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2021 - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Zoom
Learn how to become a community archivist and share stories about mementos, photographs, or other objects in your home with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
Location: Zoom
Learn how to become a community archivist and share stories about mementos, photographs, or other objects in your home with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
Labriola Scanning Day
ASU Library Labriola Center
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, 906 W Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Preserve photographs, documents, and other aspects of family history with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
Location: Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, 906 W Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Preserve photographs, documents, and other aspects of family history with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
Map(ing) Gallery Hours
ASU School of Art, Mary Hood
Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 12:00pm to Saturday, March 20, 2021 - 5:00pm
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
Labriola Zine Workshop
Amber McCrary, ASU Library Labriola Center, Abalone Mountain Press
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2021 - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Zoom
Write about your loved ones and make a zine with Amber McCrary and the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
Location: Zoom
Write about your loved ones and make a zine with Amber McCrary and the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library.
NEA Big Read Kick Off: Evening Song
Luci Tapahonso, Laura Tohe, Amanda R. Tachine, Jake Skeets, Arizona Humanities
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2021 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom
Kick off the NEA Big Read with a conversation on Diné womanhood and the power of storytelling featuring Navajo Nation Poets Laureate Luci Tapahonso and Laura Tohe.
Location: Zoom
Kick off the NEA Big Read with a conversation on Diné womanhood and the power of storytelling featuring Navajo Nation Poets Laureate Luci Tapahonso and Laura Tohe.
All About The Round House
Joe Buenker
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2021 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Location: Zoom
Learn more about characters, plot, and everything else you need to know about The Round House with ASU Librarian Joe Buenker
Location: Zoom
Learn more about characters, plot, and everything else you need to know about The Round House with ASU Librarian Joe Buenker
Get Lit: Decolonization
Amanda R. Tachine
Date: Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom
What is the history of colonization? What would it look like for a space to be decolonized? What does the term “decolonization” even mean? Join ASU professor Dr. Amanda R. Tachine for a conversation on decolonization, empire, and indigeneity at special edition of Get Lit!
Location: Zoom
What is the history of colonization? What would it look like for a space to be decolonized? What does the term “decolonization” even mean? Join ASU professor Dr. Amanda R. Tachine for a conversation on decolonization, empire, and indigeneity at special edition of Get Lit!
Map(ing) Opening Reception
ASU School of Art, Mary Hood
Date: Friday, March 5, 2021 - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
The Big Story: Native Tellers Respond to The Round House
Ken Duncan, Violet Duncan, Martha Ludlow Martinez, Kyle Mitchell, The Storytelling Institute at South Mountain Community College
Date: Friday, March 5, 2021 - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Location: Zoom
Listen to personal stories from Ken Duncan, Violet Duncan, Martha Ludlow Martinez, and Kyle Mitchell in response to The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Location: Zoom
Listen to personal stories from Ken Duncan, Violet Duncan, Martha Ludlow Martinez, and Kyle Mitchell in response to The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Mujerx Book Club
Palabras Bilingual Bookstore
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2021 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Zoom
Discuss The Round House by Louise Erdrich in a special edition of the Mujerx Book Club with Palabras Bilingual Bookstore!
Location: Zoom
Discuss The Round House by Louise Erdrich in a special edition of the Mujerx Book Club with Palabras Bilingual Bookstore!
We Thrive Together
AGUILA Youth Leadership, Sareya Taylor, Samuel Redbird, Arizona Humanities
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2021 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Zoom
Sareya Taylor and Samuel Redbird lead a special workshop with AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute on empowerment and resiliency for high-school aged youth.
Location: Zoom
Sareya Taylor and Samuel Redbird lead a special workshop with AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute on empowerment and resiliency for high-school aged youth.
Remembering the Phoenix Indian School
Rosalie Talahongva, Patty Talahongva
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2021 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Location: Zoom
Originally founded in 1891, the Phoenix Indian School was the only off-reservation school in Arizona run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the second-largest boarding school of its kind in the entire United States, educating thousands of students from over 22 tribes for nearly 100 years. Learn more about its complicated history with Rosalie and Patty Talahongva of the Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center!
Location: Zoom
Originally founded in 1891, the Phoenix Indian School was the only off-reservation school in Arizona run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the second-largest boarding school of its kind in the entire United States, educating thousands of students from over 22 tribes for nearly 100 years. Learn more about its complicated history with Rosalie and Patty Talahongva of the Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center!
Dispatches from the Field: Students Archivists and BIPOC Memory
Mia Johnson, Myra Khan, Lourdes Pereira, Elizabeth Quiroga, Jessica Salow
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Location: Zoom
Working outside an archival profession that has ignored their voices, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) student and community archivists are reclaiming space to maintain vital community histories and cultural knowledge. Celebrate their contributions and learn more about their work with ASU Library's Community Driven Archives Initiative!
Location: Zoom
Working outside an archival profession that has ignored their voices, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) student and community archivists are reclaiming space to maintain vital community histories and cultural knowledge. Celebrate their contributions and learn more about their work with ASU Library's Community Driven Archives Initiative!
Book Club
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Book Club
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Saturday, March 13, 2021 - 10:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Bił Náni’eeł: Luxuriating in the Experience of Image and Language
Manny Loley, Heard Museum
Date: Saturday, March 13, 2021 - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Zoom
The Diné phrase “bił náni’eeł” can be understood as a pooling of water. To honor this process, and the land that gives breath to our stories, join poet Manny Loley for a special writing workshop in response to the Heard Museum.
Location: Zoom
The Diné phrase “bił náni’eeł” can be understood as a pooling of water. To honor this process, and the land that gives breath to our stories, join poet Manny Loley for a special writing workshop in response to the Heard Museum.
Book Club
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Where We Stand: Indigenous Land Acknowledgments
David Martinez, Felicia Mitchell, Alex Soto
Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom
Over the last several years, more and more universities, museums, and other institutions from all over the world have issued statements of land acknowledgment honoring an area's deep histories, original stewards, and current Indigenous residents and communities. While these acknowledgments are important, they're only a first step. Join Dr. Felicia Mitchell, Dr. David Martinez, and ASU Librarian Alexander Soto for a conversation on the ethics and impacts of Indigenous land acknowledgments.
Location: Zoom
Over the last several years, more and more universities, museums, and other institutions from all over the world have issued statements of land acknowledgment honoring an area's deep histories, original stewards, and current Indigenous residents and communities. While these acknowledgments are important, they're only a first step. Join Dr. Felicia Mitchell, Dr. David Martinez, and ASU Librarian Alexander Soto for a conversation on the ethics and impacts of Indigenous land acknowledgments.
Only the Beginning: Arizona's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Study Committee
April Ignacio, Jennifer Jermaine, Debbie Nez Manuel, Traci Morris
Date: Friday, March 19, 2021 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Zoom
On May 9, 2019, the Arizona legislature passed HB2570, creating a Study Committee on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), which would spend the next year gathering data, reviewing policies, and producing recommendations to take the first steps of bringing this crisis to an end. Join study committee members Representative Jennifer Jermaine, Debbie Nez Manuel, April Ignacio, and Dr. Traci Morris for updates and progress on their work.
Location: Zoom
On May 9, 2019, the Arizona legislature passed HB2570, creating a Study Committee on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), which would spend the next year gathering data, reviewing policies, and producing recommendations to take the first steps of bringing this crisis to an end. Join study committee members Representative Jennifer Jermaine, Debbie Nez Manuel, April Ignacio, and Dr. Traci Morris for updates and progress on their work.
Map(ing) Closing Reception
ASU School of Art, Mary Hood
Date: Friday, March 19, 2021 - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
Location: Step Gallery, 605 E Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Celebrate 10 years of Indigenous printmaking collaborations in a special retrospective with Mary Hood and the ASU School of Art!
Date: Friday, March 19, 2021 - 7:00pm to Friday, April 2, 2021 - 8:00pm
Location: Online
Celebrate the diversity and talent of Indigenous artists in Arizona with a virtual art exhibition from XICO!
Location: Online
Celebrate the diversity and talent of Indigenous artists in Arizona with a virtual art exhibition from XICO!
Labriola Community Celebration
ASU Library Labriola Center, Amber McCrary, Alex Soto, Abalone Mountain Press
Date: Saturday, March 20, 2021 - 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Location: Zoom
Over the past several months, Indigenous community members have been working with poet Amber McCrary and the Labriola National American Indian Center at ASU Library to share, preserve, and honor their family histories through storytelling, community archiving, creative writing, and zines. Celebrate the talented voices of the community with a panel and reading!
Location: Zoom
Over the past several months, Indigenous community members have been working with poet Amber McCrary and the Labriola National American Indian Center at ASU Library to share, preserve, and honor their family histories through storytelling, community archiving, creative writing, and zines. Celebrate the talented voices of the community with a panel and reading!
Book Club
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Sunday, March 21, 2021 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Write Here, Write Now: Writing through Revenge
Gionni Ponce
Date: Monday, March 22, 2021 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom
How does (or doesn't) revenge motivate our characters and drive our plot forward? How do we write revenge in a socially responsible way? Join author Gionni Ponce for a special edition of Write Here, Write Now!
Location: Zoom
How does (or doesn't) revenge motivate our characters and drive our plot forward? How do we write revenge in a socially responsible way? Join author Gionni Ponce for a special edition of Write Here, Write Now!
Ittifatpoli: Policy and the Creative Process
Traci Morris, ASU American Indian Policy Institute
Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom
Ittifatpoli is a Chickasaw term meaning, "They are talking about serious things" or "They are talking about things that matter." Join Dr. Traci Morris of the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University for a conversation about the impacts of policy in our everyday lives.
Location: Zoom
Ittifatpoli is a Chickasaw term meaning, "They are talking about serious things" or "They are talking about things that matter." Join Dr. Traci Morris of the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University for a conversation about the impacts of policy in our everyday lives.
Book Club
Phoenix Public Library
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2021 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Location: Online
The NEA Big Read is all about broadening our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Join Phoenix Public Library for a discussion of The Round House!
Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center Tours
Rosalie Talahongva
Date: Friday, March 26, 2021 - 9:00am to 6:00pm
Location: Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center, 300 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Over the course of nearly 100 years, the Phoenix Indian School educated thousands of students from nearly 22 tribes, leaving an enduring impact on individuals, families, and the larger community. Learn more about the complicated history of the Phoenix Indian School with Rosalie Talahongva!
Location: Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center, 300 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Over the course of nearly 100 years, the Phoenix Indian School educated thousands of students from nearly 22 tribes, leaving an enduring impact on individuals, families, and the larger community. Learn more about the complicated history of the Phoenix Indian School with Rosalie Talahongva!
NEA Big Read Keynote: Bring Them Home
Layli Long Soldier, Patti Hibbeler, Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, Jacyln Roessel, Agnes Woodward
Date: Friday, March 26, 2021 - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Location: Zoom
Every time a person goes missing, it's a tragedy. But statistics are only part of the picture. In times of crisis, we come together as a community to protect one another, honor those we've lost, and gather strength to keep moving. Join Layli Long Soldier and community advocates for an evening dedicated to missing Indigenous people.
Location: Zoom
Every time a person goes missing, it's a tragedy. But statistics are only part of the picture. In times of crisis, we come together as a community to protect one another, honor those we've lost, and gather strength to keep moving. Join Layli Long Soldier and community advocates for an evening dedicated to missing Indigenous people.
Community and the Ethics of Collaboration
Layli Long Soldier
Date: Saturday, March 27, 2021 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
Location: Zoom
Join acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier for an artist talk and generative workshop on collaboration and community.
Location: Zoom
Join acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier for an artist talk and generative workshop on collaboration and community.
Heard Museum Tours
Heard Museum
Date: Sunday, March 28, 2021 - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Location: Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Learn more about Native homelands and history, boarding school stories, Hopi Katsina dolls, and classic Pueblo pottery, plus special exhibitions on Leon Polk Smith, Navajo weaving, and more with the Heard Museum!
Location: Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Learn more about Native homelands and history, boarding school stories, Hopi Katsina dolls, and classic Pueblo pottery, plus special exhibitions on Leon Polk Smith, Navajo weaving, and more with the Heard Museum!