Northern Arizona Book Festival: Salina Bookshelf Presents

Date and Time for this Past Event

• Saturday, Apr 3, 2021  2pm - 3pm

Location

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Details

Salina Bookshelf Reading
w/ Jolyana Begay Kroupa and Rex Lee Jim
Jolyana Begay-Kroupa, is originally from Ts’iłdiilyesiitah (Rabbitbrush) near Fort Defiance, AZ. She is Navajo (Diné) born into Tachii’nii (Red Running into the Water People) and born for Tsi’naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Her maternal grandfathers are Tł’ááshchi’i (Red Bottom Cheek People) and her paternal grandfathers are Ye’ii Dine’e Tachii’nii (Giant People of the Red Running into the Water People). Jolyana honorably served as the 50th Miss Navajo Nation (2001-02) and currently resides in the Phoenix-Metro area where she is a Director of Development for Phoenix Indian Center specializing in language and culture revitalization and prevention programs. She has a Master of Arts in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education - emphasis in American Indian Education Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a Navajo Language endorsement both from Arizona State University. In addition to her work at Phoenix Indian Center she currently teaches Navajo language classes at Arizona State University and Stanford University. She has also taught for Harvard University and Yale University. Language learning is her passion and she is an advocate on the importance of language revitalization. Jolyana is married and has three beautiful children.

Rex Lee Jim is of the Diné (Navajo) tribe and was born and raised in Rock Point, Arizona on the Navajo Nation Reservation. He is of the Red House People (Kin Łichíi’nii) and born for the Red Streak Running into Water People (Táchii’nii). His Maternal grandfather is of the Towering House people (Kin Yaa’áanii) while his Paternal grandfather is of the Mexican people (Naakaii Dine’é). He is a former Vice president of the Navajo Nation, a poet, a playwright, and Medicine Man. He attended Rock Point Community School, the Newfound School in Asheville, North Carolina, and was graduated from the Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, Colorado. He attended Princeton University, Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, and its Oxford University campus in England.
As a leader, Rex Lee Jim advocates for indigenous peoples at the United Nations and has served the Navajo Nation as a vice president. He was raised by his grandparents and was taught the Blessing way ceremonies of the Navajo people in which he uses to help his fellow Dine people as a Medicine Man. As a poet and playwright, he is fluent and literate in Navajo, English, and Spanish, all of which his works are published in. His other works include Áhí Ni’ Nikisheegiizh (1989), Saad (1995). He currently resides in his original hometown Rock Point, Arizona.
Zoom Link to be posted closer to event date.