UW Libraries to Host Panel Celebrating ‘Women Shaping the West: Stories from Wyoming’

The University of Wyoming will host a panel discussion celebrating the release of “Women Shaping the West: Stories from Wyoming,” which features portraits and stories of more than 25 women whose lives reflect the strength of the modern American West.

The “Celebrating Women Shaping the West: Stories from Wyoming” discussion will take place Thursday, April 30, at 4 p.m. in Room 506 of Coe Library and is free and open to the public.

A book signing will follow the panel. The University Store will have copies of the book available for purchase before and after the event.

Author and photographer Lindsay Linton Buk will be joined by several inspiring Wyoming women, including Nimi McConigley, Marilyn Kite and Beth Venn, to discuss their journeys and stories that have helped shape communities across Wyoming.

“Lindsay’s photographs capture the unique ways women in Wyoming shape their communities,” says Cass Kvenild, dean of UW Libraries. “Joined by a panel of powerhouse women, this conversation will highlight how individual actions can create lasting impact.”

Buk, author and photographer of “Women Shaping the West: Stories from Wyoming,” created this project to preserve stories that might otherwise go untold and to highlight the impact women have made in their communities. In addition to her creative work, she serves on the board of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, supporting initiatives that promote economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for women in Wyoming.

Kite is a former Wyoming Supreme Court justice and the first woman to serve as the court’s chief justice. A Laramie native, her work has been instrumental in expanding access to justice across the state.

McConigley is a former Wyoming state legislator and journalist who made history as the first Indian-born individual and first Indian American woman elected to any U.S. state legislature.

Venn is the executive director of UW’s Neltje Center for Excellence in Creativity and the Arts. An experienced curator, writer and arts leader, she has worked with major nationally recognized institutions, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Newark Museum.

For more information about the book, visit www.shapingthewest.com/.

The event is sponsored by UW Libraries and the Honors College. For more information, call the UW Libraries Dean’s Office at (307) 766-3279.