Arleta Little – My North & The Art of the Personal Essay

There are so many ways to tell your story! As the first writer of the Chik-Wauk Museum/Gunflint Trail Historical Society’s Artist in Residence Program, Arleta Little will give a reading of “My North”, the essay that she developed from her March residency on the Gunflint Trail. She’ll also explore some of the key elements of writing a personal essay and storytelling.

Arleta Little is a poet, writer, and culture worker with a deep passion for the natural world that is expressed in the literary arts, gardening, hiking, and retreats. Arleta’s latest book of poetry, Black Swallowtail, pairing her poetry with paintings by visual artist Ta-coumba T. Aiken in the African tradition of call and response, was published by the Duluth Art Institute. Her recent poems and essays have appeared in multiple journals and publications including We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World (UMN  Press);  Blues  Vision:  African  American  Writing  From  Minnesota  (MNHS Press); The Saint Paul Almanac; Black Literacy Matters; This was 2020 and more. Her essay, Life and Death in the North Star State, published in Water-Stone Review, was nominated for a Pushcart

Prize. She is a co-author, along with Josie Johnson and Carolyn Holbrook, of Hope in the Struggle: A Memoir about the life of Josie R. Johnson, published by the University of Minnesota Press. In addition to being an author, Arleta has worked for more than two decades in nonprofit organizations and in philanthropy, serving in executive leadership, program officer, and consulting roles. She is also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and meditation practitioner. Arleta currently serves as the Executive & Artistic Director for the Loft Literary Center.

All presentations are family-friendly and free of charge.
Donations are always appreciated. Take your time driving up the Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway!