ALTOONA, Pa. — From noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14, Penn State Altoona's African American Read-in will offer a webinar keynote presentation by Kwame Dawes. Attendees can watch from the Titelman Study or elsewhere via Zoom. Pre-registration for virtual attendance is required.

Born in Ghana in 1962, Dawes spent most of his childhood and early adult life in Jamaica. He is a writer of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and plays. As a poet, he is profoundly influenced by the rhythms and textures of Ghana. Dawes is currently the Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska, where he is a Chancellor’s Professor of English, a faculty member of Cave Canem, and a teacher in the Pacific Master of Fine Arts Program in Oregon.

The theme for this year's Read-in is "The Other African Americans: African Immigrants Writing America," celebrating works by writers who are Black, African, and American. Their stories highlight the connections we share in this multiethnic country despite the differences in how and when our ancestors first arrived.

All Read-in events are free and open to the public and sponsored by the African American Read-in at Penn State Altoona with additional support from the Blair County NAACP.