What We Learned from Matt de la Peña

Matt de la Peña visited Hope College’s campus on November 9. He spoke to 400 elementary students in the morning, a college English class, and to the public in the evening. His message was funny and inspiring since it touched on why readings matters, a topic that is near and dear to our program.  During …

Kick-Off Event with Joy Harjo

There is only one week until the kick-off of our 2021 Big Read programming! We are so excited to learn alongside you and engage creatively with this year’s selection An American Sunrise and Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story.  Joy Harjo is a poet, musician, author, and activist from the Muscogee Nation. She is …

What Exactly is the Poet Laureate?

On October 1, the Big Read events for the November 2021 programming went live. Check out the events on our website!  Our kick-off speaker this November is Joy Harjo, the current poet laureate and author of several memoirs and poetry collections. Harjo will join the lakeshore community on October 25 in Dimnent Chapel with a …

Native American Art: Kruizenga Museum Collection

Throughout September, our social media account is announcing some exciting events for our November programming. Check out @bigreadlakeshore on Instagram and Facebook for updates! One event has already begun! The Kruizenga Art Museum at Hope College presents Native American Art: Recent Acquisitions from the Kruizenga Museum Collection. The Kruizenga Art Museum features paintings, prints, photographs, …

Light for the World to See: A Conversation with Kwame Alexander

We are thrilled to announce that Kwame Alexander will virtually visit Hope College as a result of a collaborative effort of several Hope organizations. The NEA Big Read Lakeshore, Black Student Union, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Tensen Writing Fund, Cultural Affairs Committee, Education Department and Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series are thrilled to announce …

Big Read 2020 Wrap-Up: Lessons Learned from “Books as Windows and Mirrors: The Importance of Reading Diverse Books”

We are continuing our Big Read 2020 Wrap-up series: a compilation of blog posts written by various community members about some things they learned (and are still thinking about) from our recent Big Read events. In this post, Abby Hamilton, English Educcation major, reflects on what she learned attending Books as Windows and Mirrors: The …

Big Read 2020 Wrap-Up: Lessons Learned from “Adventure Stories with Hope Professors”

Our Big Read 2020 program may be over but the ideas and insights presented and discussed in our program are still floating around and shaping the way the readers along the Lakeshore are thinking about the world. We’re starting a series of blog posts written by various community members about some of the things they …

Big Read 2020 Wrap-Up: Lessons learned from the”Ethics Aboard the Essex” event

Our Big Read 2020 program may be over but the ideas and insights presented and discussed in our program are still floating around and shaping the way the readers along the Lakeshore are thinking about the world. We’re starting a series of blog posts written by various community members about some of the things they …

NEA Big Read Kick-Off Announcement

November 02, 2020, 7:00 PM Kick-Off Event with Dr. Fred Johnson III: Swimming Through the Gray BR/LR In this kickoff address, Dr. Fred Johnson III will explore the historical context of the sinking of the Essex in 1820. In doing so, he will reflect on those who have told our nation’s history, those who are …

Big Read Lakeshore Announces Author Skip Finley as Featured Speaker

Exciting announcement! Our November programming will include two events featuring Skip Finley, author of Whaling Captains of Color – America’s First Meritocracy.  The events featuring Finley will take place on November 11 and 23, both at 7pm. The second event will be hosted in partnership with the Herrick District Library. Due to COVID-19, these events …