Poetry Reading: A Winter Night of Indigenous Tellings

Evanston, IL—January 16, 2020: The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is collaborating with the American Indian Center of Chicago for an evening poetry event called “A Winter Night of Indigenous Tellings.” Local Native poets will share their experience living in two cultures as Chicagoans and Indigenous people. The event will be held January 30th from 6-7:30 in the Mitchell Museum’s library located at 3001 Central Street in Evanston. A suggested donation of $5.00 can be made in addition to museum admission. Tribal citizens are free.

Prior to the event, Dave Spencer, Mississippi Chata/Diné, and Vincent Romero, Laguna Pueblo, will be leading Indigenous poetry workshops at the American Indian Center culminating in the final presentation at the Mitchell Museum. At the “A Winter Night of Indigenous Tellings” event, workshop participants will present their poems and stories to the public at the Mitchell Museum. These emerging poets are following in the footsteps of seasoned local Indigenous poets, Eddy Two Rivers, Mark Turcotte, author of The Feathered Heart and Exploding Chippewas, and Elise Paschen, author of The Nightlife and Bestiary (available on Amazon.) Special guest poets are invited so that event attendees can mingle with storytelling mentors, as well as, emerging poets.

Workshop facilitator and event emcee, Vincent Romero says: “In native culture, there are times that we look to the dreamers and the storytellers for leadership. This is because they are the imagineers of what the people need or want at the time. This is why it is so important to celebrate them and encourage them to be productive in their craft, it truly does come from their heart. I count myself so fortunate to be the facilitator of this workshop. I look forward to many great things to come out of it.”

The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is one of only a handful of museums in the country that focuses exclusively on the art, history, culture, and current events of American Indian and First Nation peoples throughout the United States and Canada. In 2017, the Mitchell Museum won the Illinois Association of Museums’ Superior Award for exhibits. Current temporary exhibits include “Native American Woven Arts,” “Extraordinary Artwork,” and “Stunning Stories in Native American Jewelry” recently featured on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight.

For more information about the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, visit www.mitchellmuseum.org, call 847-475-1030 or see our verified Facebook page. The museum is located in Evanston, Illinois at 3001 Central Street. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am to 5pm, Thursday, 10am to 8pm, and Sunday noon to 4pm. New Admission rates starting 1/30/2020 are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, students, and children, and free for Mitchell Museum members and Tribal citizens.