“Until Name Becomes Prayer is an homage to every indigenous and immigrant mouth that had to become a history book. Every voice that struggled through another tongue to tell their own story. Until Name Becomes Prayer is a study on how to believe, when home is a legend you have never seen. About the slow, impossible work of self care through decolonial love. And the work of creating the world around us, one word at a time.” -William Alfred Nu’utupu Giles

William Nu’utupu Giles is a second generation Samoan Immigrant, Poet, and Arts Educator born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His work has put him on stages ranging from the San Francisco Opera House to the Kennedy Center and into classrooms from the University of Papua New Guinea to Yale University. Giles will visit Akron, Ohio, as a stop on his national poetry tour, “Until Name Becomes Prayer.”Featured artist: William Nu’utupu Giles (poetry)

With additional performances by V.I.B.E. Collective:
Himalayan MUSIC Academy (music/dance)
Gum-Dip Theatre (theatre)
Hula Fusion (dance)
Akron BMe Community (poetry)
Pumpkin (pottery)
Poetry Is Life Publishing (poetry)

This event is sponsored by Summit Artspace and is a collaboration of Asian Services In Action – ASIA, South Street Ministries, Rethinking Race-The University of Akron, Center For Inner Peace, Sandy Bottom Bowls, Poetry Is Life Publishing, Himalayan MUSIC Academy, Gum-Dip Theatre, Akron BMe Community, Hula Fusion, The Akronist, The Big Love Network, Lindsey Jo Scott–Artist/Illustrator, and community members from all over the country.