Author, alumna to visit campus

Speel-Ya club hosts author, alumna

Nov. 2, 2017 La Grande, Ore. — Author and alumna Renee Roman Nose returns to Eastern Oregon University Nov. 6 to host lectures, workshops and reading spread over several days.

Roman Nose, who graduated in 2005 with an anthropology and sociology degree, will hold a craft workshop with the Native American Program at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 6 in the Multicultural Center. The following evening she’ll give a lecture on Native American issues in Zabel Auditorium, also at 6:30 p.m., and her visit concludes with a poetry reading from her new book at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 8 in Pierce Library.

Her poetry book, “Sweet Grass Talking,” explores Native American issues, from historical to contemporary. With passion and searingly succinct descriptors, it takes readers on an emotional journey through American history.

“‘Sweet Grass Talking’ has served as a place to release the pain of the reality faced by my people, my friends, family members and myself, as a result of colonization,” Roman Nose said.

Roman Nose also helped design EOU’s Native American Studies minor, and went on to earn a master’s degree from Oregon State University. She tours the country extensively lecturing about Native American heritage, activism and civil rights.

EOU’s Speel-Ya Club co-sponsored her visit with the Carl and Sandra Ellston Ars Poetica lecture series, Native American Program, Native American Studies minor, and MESA. Becky Lord, president of Speel-Ya Club and an anthropology-sociology major from La Grande, commented on the impact of the visit.

“The Speel-Ya Club is proud to be one of the sponsors bringing Renee Roman Nose to Eastern Oregon University,” Lord said. “Her talent, wit, and activism is an inspiration to all EOU students.”

Learn more about Speel-Ya and other student organizations at eou.edu/clubs or contact Linda Jerofke at ljerofke@eou.edu for more information about this and other events.