SALT LAKE CITY – Westminster University is proud to welcome Nigerian American writer Tope Folarin as the featured guest for the annual Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Poetry Series. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 on Westminster’s campus in Salt Lake City. Folarin will discuss his literary journey and experiences growing up as a Black man from an immigrant family in Ogden, Utah.
Folarin is an award-winning author and influential voice in contemporary literature. Based in Washington, D.C., he serves as director of the Institute for Policy Studies and as the Lannan Visiting Lecturer in Creative Writing at Georgetown University. His accolades include the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing, the Whiting Award for Fiction, and a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tope Folarin to Westminster as part of this year’s Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Poetry Series,” said Ranjan Adiga, Associate Professor of Literature, Media, and Writing. “His thought-provoking work and unique storytelling will provide an inspiring experience for our students and the broader community.”
A prolific writer and cultural critic, Folarin’s reviews, essays, and commentary have appeared in numerous respected publications, including The Atlantic, The Baffler, BBC, The Drift, High Country News, Lithub, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Nation, The New Republic, The New York Times Book Review, Vulture, The Washington Post, and more. His debut novel, A Particular Kind of Black Man, published by Simon & Schuster, was widely acclaimed for its exploration of identity and race in America.
In addition to his writing career, Folarin is an active advocate for the arts. He serves on the board of the Avalon Theater in Washington D.C., the Pen/Faulkner Foundation, and is a member of the President’s Council of Pathfinder. He will also serve as the Bauder Writer-in-Residence in Howard County, Maryland, for the 2024-25 school year.
Folarin’s educational background is equally impressive. He earned 2 master's degrees as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford and graduated from Morehouse College, further enriching his global perspective and narrative voice.
The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to join in celebrating the power of poetry, literature, and storytelling with one of today’s most compelling literary figures.
Media Contact: Kevin Randall (krandall@westminsteru.edu)
