Breadcrumb
WW Agave

44th UCR Writers Week Festival

February 13 and 16-19, 2021
ONLINE. Free and open to the public
Captioned & ASL translated

February 20 Post-festival ticketed celebration with our Lifetime Achievement Award partner LA Review of Books. Learn more

Register here or on any session time below.

Juan Felipe Herrera
Rita Dove, Joy Harjo and Juan Felipe Herrera

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing
Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees, US Poet Laureates

Mike Davis

D. Charles Whitney Reader

Karen Tei Yamashita

Stephen Minot Lecture

44th UCR Writers Week Featured Writers

Millicent Borges Accardi, Kazim Ali, Francisco Aragón, Joseph Cassara, Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Camille T. Dungy, Carolyn Dunn, Steve Erickson, Kelli Jo Ford, Reyna Grande,  Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Nalo Hopkinson, LeAnne Howe, John Jennings, Stephen Graham Jones, Laila Lalami, Brandy Nālani McDougall, Shin Yu Pai, Craig Santos Perez, Tommy Pico, Elizabeth Powell, Kamala Puligandla, Alison C. Rollins, Jane Smiley, Michael Torres, Melissa Valentine, Allison Benis White.

The 44th Writers Week 2021 is made possible by support from Ken Rocker, Inland Empire MagazineThea Temple / Jack and Jacob Myers Literary FundRiverside Latino NetworkAfrican Student Programs,  Middle Eastern Student CenterUCR Department of EnglishUCR Department of Ethnic Studies, UCR Department of MusicUCR Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital ProductionCenter for Ideas and SocietyCalifornia Center for Native NationsDr. Michael Alexander, Associate Professor and Maimonides Chair of Jewish Studies, Dr. Melissa Wilcox, Professor and Holstein Endowed Chair, Pr. Alex Espinoza, Associate Professor, Tomás Rivera Endowed Chair of Creative Writing and English, Distinguished Professor, Allison Adelle Hedge CokeDr. Clifford Trafzer, Distinguished Professor of History and Rupert and Jeanette Henry Costo Chair in American Indian Affairs, UCR ARTSCollege of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Dean’s Officeour generous sponsors through #UCRGivingTuesour generous sponsors through #UCRGivingTues donorsNative American Student Programs Office (NASP), Joshua Gonzales, Director,  the Ratcliffe Family Creative Writing Endowment Fund and Los Angeles Review of Books.  

#UCRGivingTues* donors include: Mark O. Bailie, Melissa A. Bartholomew, Katherine Benouar, Kathleen DeAtley, Clyde D. Derrick III, Terri L. Dunlap, Pr. Alex Espinoza, Diana Fontaine, Katherine K. Fugate, Jeffrey J. Girod, Kimberly V. Gomez-Fraser, Pr. Allison Hedge Coke, Travis B. Hedge Coke, Dr. Laila Lalami, Malinn C. Loeung, Michael Lundell, Jennifer Merrett, Heather M. Morales, LaSharon A. McLean Perez, Cati Porter, Rachel L. Pulido, Assistant Vice Chancellor Emily M. Rankin and Eveleen D. Samayoa.

Book purchases
A hyperlink is now available for all attendees to purchase books from our own campus B & N bookstore 
here.
Cellar Door Books is our recommended local independent store. Be sure to stop by 
their page.

Information: writersweek@ucr.edu

 

Wednesday, February 17th
C Dunn
Carolyn Dunn

Three Plays by Carolyn Dunn – The Frybread Queen, Soledad, and Three Sisters
(No Passport Press’ Dreaming the Americas Series, 2021)
Cal State LA

Chasing Tailfeathers by Director, Writer, Performer Carolyn Dunn
Act I, Scene 1
Cast: Kimberly GuerreroKalani QueypoCarolyn DunnKyrié Owen 
The play takes place in Indian Country, along the pow wow trail, somewhere in Native America.

Session 3: 6:30pm PST

Photo Credit: Nashoba Dunn Anderson

Closing event of the UCR-hosted festival – Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony
2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing
Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees, US Poet Laureates
Rita Dove
Rita Dove

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees, US Poet Laureate, Poet Laureate of the Virginia Commonwealth

Collected Poems 1974-2004
(W.W. Norton, 2016)
The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry
(Penguin, 2011)
University of Virginia
Library of Congress

Session 3: 6:30pm-8:00pm PST

Photo Credit: Fred Viebahn

Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, US Poet Laureate

An American Sunrise (Norton, 2019)
When the Light of the World was Subdued (Norton, 2020)
Blue Flower Arts
Library of Congress

Session 3: 6:30pm-8:00pm PST

Photo Credit: Matika Wilbur

Juan Felipe Herrera
Juan Felipe Herrera

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, US Poet Laureate, California Poet Laureate

Every Day We Get More Illegal
(City Lights, 2020)
187 Reasons Mexicanos Can't Cross The Border: Undocuments 1971-2007
(City Lights, 2007)
UCR Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing
Blue Flower Arts
Library of Congress

Session 3: 6:30pm-8:00pm PST

Photo Credit: Carlos Puma

Saturday, February 20th
Post-festival ticketed celebration with our Lifetime Achievement Award partner LA Review of Books Learn more
2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing
Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees, US Poet Laureates
Rita Dove
Rita Dove

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees, US Poet Laureate, Poet Laureate of the Virginia Commonwealth

Collected Poems 1974-2004
(W.W. Norton, 2016)
The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry
(Penguin, 2011)
University of Virginia
Library of Congress

LARB 4:00pm-5:30pm PST

Photo Credit: Fred Viebahn

Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, US Poet Laureate

An American Sunrise (Norton, 2019)
When the Light of the World was Subdued (Norton, 2020)
Blue Flower Arts
Library of Congress

LARB 4:00pm-5:30pm PST

Photo Credit: Matika Wilbur

Juan Felipe Herrera
Juan Felipe Herrera

2021 LA Review of Books (LARB) – UCR Department of Creative Writing Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, US Poet Laureate, California Poet Laureate

Every Day We Get More Illegal
(City Lights, 2020)
187 Reasons Mexicanos Can't Cross The Border: Undocuments 1971-2007
(City Lights, 2007)
UCR Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing
Blue Flower Arts
Library of Congress

LARB 4:00pm-5:30pm PST

Photo Credit: Carlos Puma

WW Agave
44th UCR Writers Week Festival credits
  • Brittany Fraser, Technical Producer & Festival Coordinator – Staff
  • Albert Fetter & Julie Salgado, Production Crew
  • Audio/video engineering by Christiaan Clark, Ethan Castro, CJ Reedy, Maxine Garcia, Andrew Ha, Cameren Diaz, Chloe Santos, David Truong, Kirsten Lambinicio, Jessica Fairfield, and Santiago Tavarez
  • Department of Music Experimental Acoustics Research Studio (EARS)
  • Abbie Reese, Promotional Trailers
  • Abbie Reese, Assistant Director – Writers Lab – MFA Candidate Volunteers
  • Production Assistance from the Writers Lab – Abbie Reese, Crystal Salas, Soleil Garneau, Lily Hart, Emily Doyle, Sara Fowler, Sarah Helms, Samantha Fernandez, Rudy Avelar, Gennyvera Pacheco
  • Performing Arts Administration: Financial & Administrative Officer, Marilyn Madrigal; Creative Writing Assistance, Benicia Mangram; Financial Analyst, Sarah Cleary; Financial Assistant, Toya Adams; Contract Administrator, April Blackburn; Public Relations - Program Promotions Manager, Graphic Design, Kathy DeAtley; Zaid Yousef, Department of Art, Graphic Design
  • Jessica Weber, UCR UComm, PR
  • Jeff Girod, CHASS Marketing & Communications
  • Nanda Dyssou, Coriolis Company, PR
  • Bryan Bradford, MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts, Coordinator
  • Session Facilitators/Interviewers/Organizers: Abbie Reese, Crystal Salas, Soleil Garneau, Lily Hart, Emily Doyle, Sara Fowler, Sarah Helms, Samantha Fernandez, Rudy Avelar, Gennyvera Pacheco, Ali Saadat, Jamal J Myrick, Abigail Uribe, Joaquin Tarango, Rachell Enriquez, Sheree Winslow, Jasmine Smith, Leonardo Vilchis-Zarate, Jennifer Espinoza, Alejandra Castillo Chavez
  • UCR MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts, Faculty, Staff & Students
  • Captioning by REV 
  • ASL Translation by Sorenson
  • ASL Interpreters: Marcella Alldredge, Connie Jo Hutchinson, Christina Kelley, Kaborski Ledbetter, Caryl Williams Love
  • Webpages & IT Platforms CHASS IT James Lin, Matthew Chu, Kelvin Mac, and UComm IT
  • Development Assistance, Clyde Derrick III & Lydia Jones
  • Inverse – Digital Production Strategy
  • Lifetime Achievement Award Tributes by Francisco Aragón, David St. John, Jamal J. Myrick, Arthur Sze, Alison C. Rollins
  • CHASS Interim Dean Juliet McMullin
  • Literary Festival Partner Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB) – Boris Dralyuk, Editor-in-Chief, Irene Yoon, Executive Director
  • LARB Publisher, Distinguished Professor & Creative Writing Department Chair, Tom Lutz
  • Writers Week Director, Distinguished Professor, Allison Adelle Hedge Coke