DATE: Monday, April 14, 2008

TIME: 12 p.m.-2 p.m.

LOCATION: UNLV Student Union Ballroom

Creative writer, poet and performance artist David Mura will kick off UNLV's celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a keynote performance April 14 in the Student Union ballroom.

Mura, a third-generation Japanese American, weaves poetry, performance and personal reflections throughout his presentations to provide a powerful insight into the racial issues facing America today.

Mura has written intimately about his life as a man of color and the connections between race, sexuality and history. His works of poetry have won critical acclaim, most notably 1995's "The Colors of Desire," honored with the Carl Sandburg Literary Award from the Friends of the Chicago Public Library. In addition, Mura's memoirs and performance pieces have appeared in the New York Times, on the PBS series' ALIVE TV and The Language of Life, and on stages throughout the world. Mura has a B.A. from Grinnell College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Vermont College. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, the University of Oregon and was co-founder of the Asian American Renaissance, an Asian American arts organization.

The event is sponsored by the UNLV Office of the Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion and is free and open to the public.

UNLV is hosting a series of free events to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, including presentations by student groups and "A Community of Contrasts," a celebration of Asian American culture. For more information, including a complete schedule of events, please contact Jose Melendrez at 895-5604.