River Session: Mile 45 | Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area | Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area Amphitheater
Arts
LA River Arts | www.LARiverArts.org River Session: Mile 45 | Sepulveda Basin Wildlife AreaGuided by: Tina Calderon and Writers in the Wild of Los Angeles Poets Society Join us for a special River Session, where our lead Cultural Advisor, Tina Calderon — an accomplished poet and songwriter, and Culture Bearer of Gabrielino Tongva, Chumash, Yoeme, and Chicana descent — will ground us at the start of the session. Guided by Indigenous wisdom rooted in the deep interconnection among all living things, we will gather to nurture writing as an act of connecting with nature. Poets Jessica M. Wilson and Alex Petunia of Los Angeles Poet Society will facilitate a gentle return to the connection with our true selves, inviting us to embrace the beauty of the LA River waterways in the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area. Whether you prefer to wander freely on your own, or pair up with a fellow writer, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and draw inspiration from this vibrant headwater of the river. The session will culminate in a gathering, where we will share our poems, reflections, and experiences, celebrating our bond with each other and the riverine landscapes that inspire us. Meet our guides from LA Poet Society:Alex Petunia (she/they) released their first poetry collection Tending My Wild in 2021 through World Stage Press. As an alum of Community Literature Initiative, Alex has performed throughout Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. She has performed with the Infinite Poets collective at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, New York Poetry Festival, Fresno LitHop, and the LA County Fair. When not in nursing scrubs or on the mic, Alex offers free monthly writing sessions called Meditation Monday with the Los Angeles Poet Society. She enjoys writing with trees and typing poetry on demand for community wherever she roams. Jessica M. Wilson Cárdenas, an International Chicana Poet, born in East Los Angeles, CA, and she is a founding member of the First Los Angeles Street Poetry Festival Committee. She is a 3rd generation Beatnik, with a BA and MFA in Writing (UCR and Otis) She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Los Angeles (LA) Poet Society, a literary non-profit organization that makes the literary arts accessible, visible, and accessible to the communities across LA County! She's a California Poets in the Schools Poet Teacher, where she taught Youth US Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman. Jessica is an Artivist, a social justice Publisher for Los Angeles Poet Society Press, amplifying QTBIPOC voices. She’s a DJ for Radio Ollin, (www.radioollin.org) She is a teacher for UCLA Extension’s Writers Program, where she teaches Storytelling for Social Justice. Her books of poetry include: What Breathes, Raw Kit, Marie Morrison, Serious Longing, published by Swan World Press in Paris, France. Juan Flautista, the flute player and vocalist from Los Angeles, CA that makes the flute cry, and sings his heart out! Experience a mix between the fusion of Latin and Blues Rock from Juan Flautista's electric flute, influenced by Santana, Tito Puente, Jimi Hendrix and more. Juan is also an accomplished Poet. He is an award-winning author of the book, The Beat of an Immigrant Chicano, which received Honorable Mention from the International Latino Book Awards. He teaches for California Poets in the Schools, and is Associate Director of the LA Poet Society. www.juanflautista.com IMPORTANT DETAILS: Rain or ShineThis outdoor event involves light walking (no more than 1 mile) on flat, unpaved gravel trails. Bring a hat, sunscreen, walking shoes, and any essentials for a stroll through nature. The amphitheater is wheelchair accessible, and the trails are flat but gravel-surfaced.Maps/Directions and More Details will be sent to participants after registration.Individual Tours are $29 - buy at $35 to help us offer reduced rate community tickets for low-income guests.All tours include a 5% Land Usage Fee. Funds from this fee cover compensation for a Tribal Elder or Culture Bearer to accompany most walks. Information about Land Usage Fees.Refunds are available as credit for an alternate tour.By attending a LA River Arts event, you accept our terms of service.Visit www.LARiverArts.org for more details and stay tuned for surprises along the LA River's winding path.River Sessions are guided site visits and walks to experience art, culture, and place along the 51 miles of the LA River. In the spirit of Hyonaayn’ar--a Tongva word that means both teacher and student--participants will learn about the River’s ephemeral histories and imagine it’s ecological futures, all while exploring diverse and dynamic cultural responses to the watershed. Watch this 10min documentary featuring our three Indigenous Advisors whose artist residency on the River culminated with : A Day of Joyful Intervention: Returning the River Each month we conduct creative field research with artists, Indigenous Culture Bearers and local experts. Look for surprises around the bend! SUPPORT LARA!!! Parasols featuring commissioned art by Jess Gudiel are for sale at event registration ($60) and available at the event: $50ea _________________________ I wish you would walk with me here more often— --Lewis MacAdams, The River: Book One ACCESSING THE SEPULVEDA BASIN WILDLIFE AREA AMPHITHEATERPlease note that 6100 Woodley Ave is not the exact address of the amphitheater; it will get you very close, but please follow these directions to access our meeting point: Navigate to 6100 Woodley Ave Van Nuys, CA 91406 (Donald C Tillman Water Reclamation Plant)When you turn off Woodley Ave, take the first road to your right. Head east on this road (flanked by wooden fences) to get to the last parking lot (past the cricket fields and the archery range). We are meeting at the Sepulveda Wildlife Area “A Symphony of Songs” stone sculpture (see picture).Google Maps location pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/e6qe1zVRsTsnYryi8
Information Source: LA River Arts | eventbrite