Campus News

Rockford University welcomes Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre on Wednesday, April 3, 7 p.m., in Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center, as part of the University’s Spring Forum Series. Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre is a MC, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, activist and educator.

Guante’s work explores the relationships between identity, power, and resistance. His work has been featured through many sources such as; Upworthy, Welcome to Night Vale, Everyday Feminism, MSNBC, the Huffington Post, and many more. In addition to being well known for his online presence, Guante has also performed live at the United Nations, given a TedTalk, and presented at countless colleges, universities, and conferences. Through his presentations, Guante strives to cultivate a deeper, more critical engagement with social justice issues based in both empathy and agency. An educator as well as a performing artist, Guante completed his Masters studies in 2016 at the University of Minnesota with a focus on spoken word, critical pedagogy, and social justice education. This knowledge can be seen reflected in his performances as he uses poems as jumping-off points for authentic dialogue, critical thinking, and community-building.

Across the globe, the spoken word movement has reignited poetry as a force for artistic expression, critical dialogue, and community-building. As both a specific form (writing poetry that is meant to be shared aloud) and a deeper cultural practice (tracing its roots back millennia), spoken word creates space for all of us to tell our stories, make our values concrete, and speak up about the issues and ideas that matter to us. Join two-time National Poetry Slam champion Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre for a performance and discussion on these topics and more.

There is no charge to attend, but tickets are required. This event will take place in Maddox Theatre, in the Clark Arts Center, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Clark Arts is accessible. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the Box Office at 815-226-4100 or boxoffice@rockford.edu.

This semester’s Forum Series continues through late April. View the full lineup at https://www.rockford.edu/artslectures/forum/.