Poetry Pop-up at EiR| The Future We Tell: Student Stories and Imagined Possibilities 

Poetry Pop-Ups: The Future We Tell: Student Stories and Imagined Possibilities 

• EiR Lounge | Frieda Parker Hall (901 W State St.) | Wed, Sept 17 | 10:00AM-12:00PM AND 6:00PM-7:00PM

Everyone has a story to share! Stop by to listen, recount, and write poetry with Bryan. 

Other Poetry Pop-up Events:

• AAARCC (915 5th St.) | Tues, Sept 16 | 3:30PM-5:00PM 

• Global Fest | Downtown West Lafayette (Northwestern Ave & W Columbia St) | Sat, Sept 20 | 3:00pM-6:00PM 

Poet in Residence Week of Events

The AAARCC hosts an artist and scholar in residence each semester to highlight national and local experts in weaving narratives, leading communities, and engaging future generations. Bryan Thao Worra is a Lao American poet and our Fall 2025 Poet in Residence. Bryan will be facilitating a variety of workshops related to consulting, artistic strategies, and writing, visual, and performing arts. The AAARCC hosts an artist and scholar in residence each semester to highlight national and local experts in weaving narratives, leading communities, and engaging future generations. Bryan Thao Worra is a Lao American poet and our Fall 2025 Poet in Residence. Bryan will facilitate a variety of workshops related to consulting, artistic strategies, and writing, visual, and performing arts. This program also celebrates the 20th anniversary volume of the Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement. 

The Fall 2025 Poet in Residence programs are generously co-sponsored by The ALab, College of Education, Executive in Residence Program, and Southeast Asia in the Midwest Initiative. 

Week Events Flyer: https://aaarcc.short.gy/poet25

About Bryan Thao Worra

Bryan Thao Worra is the first Lao American to receive an NEA Fellowship in Literature in 2009 for poetry and was a Cultural Olympian representing Laos during the 2012 London Summer Games. He was awarded an Asian Pacific American Leadership Award in 2009 from the State Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans and a 2002 Many Voices Fellowship from the Minnesota Playwrights Center. Since 2018, he has served as the Lao Minnesotan Poet Laureate. His writing is cited in over 9 international textbooks, including the 2012 edition of the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics and Wenying Xu’s Historical Dictionary of Asian American Literature and Theater. He served as a consultant or contractor to numerous institutions, including the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Minnesota History Center, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. As the author of 8 books, his work appears in 100+ publications globally, including Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, France, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Chile, Pakistan, and the United States. His writing is translated in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Tagalog, Bengali, and Lao. 
Visit Bryan's website to read more about his previous exhibitions and projects in the Midwest: https://thaoworra.wordpress.com/ 

AAARCC programs are free and open to all students. Here are ways to support our programming initiatives: 
1) Attend and promote AAARCC programs within your networks, classrooms, and listservs by downloading our flyers from our website. 

2) If you are a class instructor, assign our events as part of required or extra-credit activities for your class. If your whole class is interested in attending AAARCC events or volunteering for a class assignment, please email us at aaarcc@purdue.edu and we’d be happy to help coordinate this learning opportunity. 

3) Partner with us in co-planning events or provide co-sponsorship. If your department or organization is interested in partnering with AAARCC for an event or activity, please email us at aaarcc@purdue.edu. We believe that by working together, we can create even more enriching experiences and make a broader impact on campus life. 

4) Give to support our initiatives and encourage others to make financial gifts to the AAARCC. If you are interested in financially supporting AAARCC programs, please use this link: bit.ly/givetotheaaarcc 

All AAARCC programs are free and open to all students. These gatherings provide valuable opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to engage in meaningful dialogue and build connections within our vibrant community. In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University’s educational programs, services and activities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability or status as a veteran. See Purdue's Nondiscrimination Policy Statement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Ethics and Compliance at vpec@purdue.edu or 765-494-5830.