2025 Mentoring Retreat

Spirit Lines & Visual Poetics

New York, NY
July 27th- August 1st , 2025

About the Retreat

Indigenous Nations Poets (In-Na-Po) is hosting its fourth annual week-long retreat for emerging Native poets July 27th- August 1st , 20225 in New York City. The retreat will offer sixteen Indigenous fellows an opportunity to study with a distinguished poetry faculty and become a part of an exciting community of Native writers. This cohort will include at least 8 new and up to 8 returning applicants.

All 16 poets will be awarded a full fellowship that will cover travel, room and board, as well as tuition.

The five-day gathering will create a space for inspiration, set aside dedicated time for participants to develop their craft and offer guidance on the practice and business of poetry.

About In-Na-Po

Founded in 2020, In-Na-Po—Indigenous Nations Poets—is a national Indigenous poetry community committed to mentoring emerging writers, nurturing the growth of Indigenous poetic practices, and raising the visibility of all Native Writers past, present, and future.
In-Na-Po recognizes the role of poetry in sustaining tribal sovereign nations and Native languages.

In-Na-Po is proud to be a member of The Poetry Coalition, a national alliance of nearly 30 independent poetry organizations dedicated to working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. The Poetry Coalition and its programmatic efforts are supported by the Academy of American Poets with funds from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

2025 Fellows

  • Noelani Piters

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Donavan Albano

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • E.J. Zadok

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Ibe Liebenberg

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Lokosh (Joshua D. Hinson)

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Megan Dorame

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Owen Oliver

    2025 Fellow

    Bio
  • Shannel Garcia

    2025 Fellow

    Bio

2025 Workshop Faculty

  • Jake Skeets

    2025 Workshop Faculty

    Bio
  • Noʻu Revilla

    2025 Workshop Faculty

    Bio
  • Leanne Simpson

    2025 Workshop Faculty

    Bio

2025 Retreat Leaders/Support

  • Kimberly Blaeser

    Kimberly Blaeser

    Founding Director

    Bio
  • Nicole Wallace

    Board Member

    Bio
  • Elise Paschen

    Board Member

    Bio
  • Rob Arnold

    Board Member

    Bio
  • Annie Wenstrup

    Alumni and Donor Relations Coordinator

    Bio
  • Jodi Vander Molen

    Operations and Programming Manager

    Bio
  • Tj Turner

    Communications Coordinator

    Bio