Indigenous Poets Prize

The Indigenous Poets Prize is a collaboration between Hayden’s Ferry Review; the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands (CIB); RED INK International Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art, & Humanities; Thousand Languages Project; and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. We accepted poetry submissions in youth and adult categories, Arizona-based and nationally-based, from writers who demonstrated a commitment to Indigenous communities. We defined ‘commitment’ as those who advocate for Indigenous communities, have personal experience with/within these communities, or contribute in some capacity to supporting Indigenous communities.

We’re thrilled to share the winning poems by our Indigenous Poets Prize award recipients, which were selected by Natalie Diaz, the director of CIB and a Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet.

Youth (National)

• “I Am From…” by Acacia Armstrong

Youth (Arizona)

• “Brown” by Raine Huelskamp

• “The House of Forgotten Memories” by Denzhone Burdette

Adult (National)

• “i saw my life without you and it was beautiful” by Emily Clarke

• “When Her Body Is A Battleground” by Kimberly Blaeser

Adult (Arizona)

• “Deer Tracks” by Ramona Gutierrez

• “Land is a Body is a Religion⇰” by Chris Hoshnic

In addition to online publication, these poems will be published in the fall/winter 2023 print issue and will be translated by Thousand Languages interns. All award recipients will receive $300.

We’re thankful to the contest’s initial readers Lindsey Curley, Amber McCrary, Taté Walker, and James Blasingame of RED INK, our final judge Natalie Diaz; and Thomas “Breeze” Marcus for his commissioned artwork, featured above and throughout the pages of this folio. Follow the artist @breeze1phx.