April 27: Good Thunder Reading Series Hosts Writer Gwen Nell Westerman

Thursday, April 27, 2023
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Opening event is workshop in Memorial Library

Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Good Thunder Reading Series will host writer Gwen Nell Westerman, the poet laureate of Minnesota, on Thursday, April 27 in the series’ seventh and final event of the 2022-2023 academic year.

All the events are free and open to the public.

Westerman will open the April 27 events with a workshop from 10-11 a.m. in Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Memorial Library (first floor, fountain area).

She will present a “Talk on Craft” from 3-4 p.m. April 27 in Centennial Student Union, Rooms 253/4/5. Books will be available for purchase.

Westerman will read from her work from 7:30-8:30 p.m. April 27 at the Carnegie Art Center (120 S. Broad St., Mankato).

The following information about Westerman was provided by the Good Thunder Reading Series:

Gwen Nell Westerman is some days a scholar, some days a visual artist, but she is a writer every day. She is the author of two poetry collections, “Follow the Blackbirds” (2013), and “Songs, Blood Deep” (2023). Her work has appeared in “New Poets of Native Nations: 21 Poets for the 21st Century” and “When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry” (2020).

Founded in 1981, the Good Thunder Reading Series brings nationally and internationally acclaimed writers from diverse backgrounds and literary traditions to Mankato, Minnesota, with the goal of promoting access to great literature, inspiring creativity and connections in our communities, and fostering lively conversations about how writers work and why writing matters.

The Good Thunder Reading Series is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The 2022-23 Good Thunder Reading Series also receives support from Minnesota State Mankato’s Department of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Women’s Center, the Nadine B. Andreas Endowment, the Eddice B. Barber Visiting Writer Endowment, the Robert C. Wright Endowment and individual donors. The Maverick Shop at Minnesota State Mankato provides additional assistance.

For more information or to get involved, contact Robin Becker at robin.becker@mnsu.edu or visit gt.mnsu.edu.

Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.