The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read—a partnership with Arts Midwest—broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. By showcasing diverse themes, voices, and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire meaningful conversations, artistic responses, and new discoveries and connections in each community. RIT/NTID & MCLS is hosting a Big Read in April of 2023 featuring Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Republic.
Events explore the themes of language, power, and community in Deaf Republic, spotlights the history of deaf poetry in the United States, and encourages people from diverse backgrounds to experiment with poetry as a means of expressing their own experiences of language, power, and community.
NTID is partnering with Monroe County Library System (MCLS) and other colleges in RIT to organize local events open to the entire Rochester community. NTID is also partnering with deaf organizations and schools for the deaf to organize satellite events across the country. Rochester programming includes Deaf Republic book giveaways, a reading and talk by Kaminsky, book group discussions, and ASL performances of the poems; as well art exhibits exploring the themes in Deaf Republic, poetry workshops, and readings by other poets. Click here for more information and a full list of upcoming events.
Jointly, with RIT/NTID and MCLS, The Gates Public Library will host our Kickoff event, an evening with Mr. Kaminsky on April 1 from 5 – 7 pm. Join us as Ilya reads some selected poems from his book and signs copies of Deaf Republic. Books provided for the community through the NEA grant. A reception will follow. This event will be interpreted. Please register to attend this event here.
Find Deaf Republic in the Library Catalog
Read or listen to Deaf Republic in Overdrive and on the Libby App