UW’s Shepard Symposium to Feature Guest Speaker Kyle Tran Myhre April 24

Poet, author and educator Kyle Tran Myhre, also known as “Guante,” will be the featured speaker -- hosted by the University of Wyoming’s Shepard Symposium on Social Justice -- Thursday, April 24.

He will discuss his work/artistry in a free public event from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Thrust Theatre. Appetizers and refreshments will be available beginning at 5 p.m. An open house meet-and-greet with Myhre also is scheduled from 9:30-11:30 a.m. that day in the Wyoming Union skylight lounge.

Myhre has contributed to a Grammy-winning album, performed at the United Nations and been a member of two National Poetry Slam championship teams. In his performance/talk, he will share some of his creative work, as well as some of what he has learned about the relationship between imagination and activism/organizing, especially in the context of work regarding consent, violence prevention and healthy masculinity.

“Storytelling, art and poetry can be powerful doorways into dialogue and critical thinking, especially about issues related to how we move through the world, how we treat one another and what narratives drive our values, beliefs and actions,” Myhre says. “Just as a poem uses imagery and metaphor to ‘zoom in’ on complex ideas, building the community that we want to live in takes more than knowing the right terms or even believing the right things. We have to find ways to work together and make our values real in the world.”

The Shepard Symposium is hosting the event in partnership with UW’s Violence Prevention Center. Myhre also is the guest speaker for UW’s Denim Day, the world’s largest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign. Denim Day will be observed on the UW campus Wednesday, April 23. Myhre will perform at Pokes Pub at 6 p.m. and will be joined on stage by local poets sharing their respective art. UW’s 7220 Entertainment also is a Denim Day sponsor.

For more information about the Shepard Symposium’s spring semester event, go here.

For more information, email the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice co-chairs at shepardsymposium@gmail.com.