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The issue's premiere party will include readings, performances and opportunities to create 'live' art.

By University Communications
April 16, 2008

Red Ink Magazine, the nation’s only nonprofit, student-run American Indian publication, will hold a premiere party Friday evening to launch its latest issue, titled “Native Voices.”

The party, to be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with drumming beginning at 6:30 p.m., will celebrate the diversity and strength of American Indian cultures and honor the contributors to the new issue.

Red Ink is the only American Indian publication published exclusively by undergraduate and graduate students. The primary mission of Red Ink is to highlight American Indian creative and intellectual expression through the publication of poetry, creative writing, artwork, and photography, and includes book, music and film reviews.

LeAndra Bitsie (Navajo) will emcee the event. Bitsie is a leadership motivator who owns a company called "Inspire. Motivate. Lead., Inc.," and dedicates her time to traveling to Native communities empowering youth.

The premiere includes readings by various American Indian poets whose work appears in the new issue. Readings will be given by Simon Ortiz, Waylon Begay, Aretha Matt, Martha Dailey and Jennifer Fox Bennett.

Red Ink also will celebrate contemporary Native visual culture with live painting projects by Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) and Bunky Echo-Hawk (Pawnee/Yakama). There also will be three open canvases to encourage creative expression by those attending the event. The live art then will be raffled at the end of the event.

A silent benefit auction with artwork donated by Red Ink artists and supporters will also be held with all proceeds going directly toward publishing Red Ink’s next issue.

Several artists will be in attendance, including Navajo painters Ryan Singer, Monty Singer and Jeremy Singer. The invited artists, poets, speakers and leaders will share their work, their words and their personal visions for the future of Native tribes.

Two sets of drum songs will be performed by Panther Creek Drum group, which is composed of singers, including many UA students, belonging to various tribes from throughout the U.S. The event also will include music remixes by DJ Liability (Adam Carvell from the Mohawk Nation), who is a UA law student. Carvell collaborates with other Native DJs as one of the few all-Native DJ collectives, TableTop Sounds.

“Hosting an event like this is an integral aspect of Red Ink’s mission. This publication adds to the discourse on subjects important to Native people, and it does so by bringing new viewpoints to the local community level. In addition, this event will highlight the interconnectedness between aesthetics, poetics and academic scholarship,” said Marinella Lentis, a UA American Indian Studies doctoral student and Red Ink staff member.