By Anisa Onofre
Terrance Hayes, National Book Award winner and MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship recipient will present a free public reading and Q&A on Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 7 pm at Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium as part of Gemini Ink’s Autograph Series. A ticketed luncheon featuring Mr. Hayes will be held the following day, on Friday, March 1, at Pearl Stable, at 11:30 am. Tickets start at $100 for the luncheon. The free public reading is made possible by Gemini Ink in partnership with the
Carver Community Cultural Center and Trinity University.
One of the most compelling voices in American poetry, Terrance Hayes is an elegant and adventurous writer who addresses racism, sexism, religion, family structure, and stereotypes with disarming humor, grace,
tenderness, and brilliant turns of phrase. He fearlessly investigates what it means to be an artist, a black man, and an American in the 21st century, and is a writer not to be missed. His work has been showcased on CNN and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and Gemini Ink is pleased to be able to host him during Black History Month.
Hayes has garnered some of the most prestigious literary awards available, including a 2014 MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Fellowship. He is the author of seven books of poetry and a multi-genre collection of writing. His American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin was named by the Washington Post as one of the top five poetry collections for 2018. Other publications are How to Be Drawn (2015), longlisted for 2015
National Book Award in Poetry; Lighthead (2010), winner of the 2010 National Book Award in Poetry; Hip Logic, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award; and Muscular Music, winner of both the Whiting
Writers Award and the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. He is also the author of the collection To Float In The Space Between Drawings and Essays in Conversation with Etheridge Knight (2018).
The Autograph Series free reading will feature Terrance Hayes in a conversation with award-winning poet Michelle Whittaker, whose work has been featured in The New Yorker and New York Times Magazine, and who is friends with Mr. Hayes. Their conversation will touch on topics such as the creative process and the role of literature and poetry in the 21st century. The free reading is scheduled for 7 pm to facilitate attendance by a
wide range of students, teachers, and the general public. Immediately following the reading, books will be available for purchase and signing.
The Autograph Series ticketed colloquium luncheon at Pearl Stable features an intimate reading by Mr. Hayes, followed by an interview and Q&A with San Antonio author and groundbreaking journalist Cary Clack. The luncheon takes place from 11:30 am–1:00 pm to accommodate audience work/school schedules. In the past five years, middle, high school, and college students have been able to attend the luncheon free of charge thanks to generous sponsorships by local corporate and private donors. This is an invaluable opportunity for students to experience a program featuring a remarkable contemporary literary voice and presence.
Gemini Ink’s Autograph Series presents writers of national and international stature‚ many recipients of major prizes such as the Pulitzer or National Book Award‚ in free public performances followed by audience Q&A and book signing. This Series, one of Gemini Ink’s signature literary events, is partially supported by a ticketed colloquium luncheon with the visiting writer. Previous Autograph writers have included Grace Paley, Tim
O’Brien, Edward P. Jones, Ha Jin, Sandra Cisneros, Luis Alberto Urrea, Philip Levine, U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, and world-renowned novelist Margaret Atwood.