DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts Welcomes Kwame Dawes, Danez Smith & Sarah Thankam Mathews

Author Sarah Thankam Mathews (above) shares a smile with audience members while reading from her critically acclaimed debut novel, "All This Could Be Different," on April 22, 2024, during aDMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event at the College's Ankeny Campus.

Published in 2022, "All This Could Be Different" was shortlisted for the the Discover Prize, the Aspen Words Literary Prize and the 2022 National Book Award in Fiction, and was also named a New York Times Editor's Choice and "Best Book of the Year" by NPR.

Mathews grew up between Oman and India, and immigrated to the United States at age 17. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop​ at the University of Iowa, where she is also serving as a visiting professor this semester.

Mathews (seated, above) signs a copy of her novel "All This Could Be Different" for DMACC student Olivia Cook (standing) of Des Moines during a DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event on April 22, 2024. Now in its 21st year, the DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts spotlights a variety of local, regional and nationally known authors during the fall and spring semesters. All events are free to attend and open to the public.

Cook, who graduated from Des Moines Roosevelt High School, is currently pursuing an Associate in Science (AS) degree (Pre-Vet) at DMACC.

Mathews (above, at podium), who now lives in New York City, enjoys hearing from an audience member during a DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event on April 22, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. During the hour-long event, Mathews read from her work, participated in a Q&A and signed free copies of her debut novel, "All This Could Be Different," for attendees. The novel follows follows the story of a young Indian immigrant who moves to Milwaukee, and reckons with her first job, her first love and her first real friends.

To learn more about "All This Could Be Different," click here​.

Mathews​ (above, left) and DMACC English Professor Marc Dickinson (above, right), coordinator of the DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts, pose for photo together at the conclusion of the April 22 event featuring Mathews.

Poet Danez Smith (above) reads a poem from their critically acclaimed "Homie: Poems" collection (Graywolf Press, 2020) during a DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event on April 15, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. "Homie: Poems​" explores the saving grace of friendship and was a 2020 National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry finalist. Smith is also the author of "Don't Call Us Dead​" (Graywolf Press, 2017), which circles their Black, queer and HIV-positive status, and was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award. Smith lives in Minneapolis.

Dashae Engler (above, left), a DMACC Communications student from Clive, takes a photo with poet Danez Smith (above, right) on April 15, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. Smith signed free copies of their "Homie: Poems" poetry collection for all attendees after reading from their work and participating in a Q&A with audiences members.

Chris Morales (above, standing), a DMACC Theatre-Transfer student from Perry, talks with poet Danez Smith (above, seated) on April 15, 2024, following a DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. Morales said he was excited to meet Smith in person after recently their poetry in one of his DMACC courses.

Kwame Dawes​ (above), the author of 20 books of poetry and numerous other books of fiction, criticism and essays, reads from his work during a DMACC Celebration of Literary Artsevent on April 15, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.

Dawes, who was born in Ghana and moved to Jamaica at age nine when his father, Neville Dawes, became the Deputy Director of the Institute of Jamaica, was recently named the new Poet Laureate of Jamaica (read more here). Dawes is also a Chancellor's Professor of English and Editor-in-Chief of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a faculty member of Cave Canem Foundation, and a teacher in the Pacific MFA program in Ore​gon.​

Keonna DenAdel (above, left, foreground), a DMACC English-Transfer major from Ames, chats with poet Kwame Dawes (above, seated) after receiving a signed copy of Dawes' "Nebraska​" poetry collection during a DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event on April 15, 2024, at the College's Ankeny Campus. DenAdel plans to study journalism at Iowa State University after graduating from DMACC.

DMACC English Professor Marc Dickinson (above, left), who coordinates the DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts, joins visiting poets Danez Smith (above, center) and Kwame Dawes (above, right) for a photo on April 15, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. Smith and Dawes read from their work, participated in a Q&A with audience members and signed free copies of their books during an hour-long event on campus. Both poets also participated in a second DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts event at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines.

For more information about the DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts, visit cla.dmacc.edu or contact Marc Dickinson, DMACC English Professor and Coordinator of the DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts, at (515) 964-6221 or [email protected].

Photo credit for above images: Lisa Schmitz for DMACC | email [email protected] with any questions.

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