Allison Hedge Coke Biography

Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, poet-writer, lives in Oklahoma and was primarily raised in North Carolina with some time on the Great Plains & Canada. Her debut book, Dog Road Woman, won the American Book Award and was the first finalist of the Paterson Poetry Prize & Diane DeCora Award since then, she has written five more award-winning books and edited eight unique anthologies. Noted (World Literature Today, American Literature...) as an epic poet, her long form and epic poems include: "Burn," "Streaming," "Before Next Dawning," "When the Animals Leave This Place," "Resonance in Motion," "When I was a Girl Woman," "Radio Wave Mama," "The Change," and "The Year of the Rat." Additionally, the orchestration of her authored books, including Off-Season City Pipe, Blood Run, and Streaming and edited volumes, including: Sing: Poetry of the Indigenous Americas, are also arranged to be read to experience a book-length poem. Additionally, The Year of the Rat is a book-length poem.

Background

Hedge Coke was born in Texas and grew up and came of age in North Carolina, Canada, and on the Great Plains. Her early adult life was also spent in North Carolina until she was 27. Her mother suffered from schizophrenia and spent many years in asylums. From the ages of 13-46, her work includes factory packer, waitressing, clerk, cashier, field worker, sharecropper (tobacco, sweet potatoes), dog trainer, horse trainer, wrangler, construction (heavy equipment, frame carpentry, wrecking crew), computer coding, night auditing, designing trucks by spec, car sales, commercial fisher, maid, songwriter, sessions musician, performer, artist, second-chance high school instructor, gang intervention, stage tech, director, collections management, docent, interpreter, communications director, k-12, juvenile justice, labor, domestic abuse, homeless, mental health and after school program instructor. Her extended family's heritage includes: Metis, Huron, French Canadian, Luso, Cherokee, Irish, Scot, English... Her father was born in the US and her mother in Canada.

Career

Hedge Coke held a National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Visiting Professor/Writer appointment for Hartwick College (2004), is an original and emeritus fellow of the Black Earth Institute Think-Tank, a MacDowell Colony for the Arts Fellow, a Hawthorden Castle Fellow, a Soul Mountain Fellow, a Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities Fellow, a Lannan Foundation residency fellow, a current University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Great Plains Study Fellow {flagship campus}, served as the Distinguished Paul W. Reynolds and Clarice Kingston Reynolds Endowed Chair in English, and as an Associate Professor of Poetry & Creative Writing in the English Department of the University of Nebraska at Kearney (2007-2012) and University of Nebraska low-residency MFA program (2007-current), Visiting Artist of the University of Central Oklahoma (2012-2014), and as a Distinguished Writer in Residence at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (2014). She has also served as a Visiting Writer for the University of California Riverside (2014) and University of California Riverside-Palm Desert (2008), and taught for Northern Michigan University, the University of Arkansas, Lenore-Rhyne, Kilian College, and the University of Sioux Falls. Hedge Coke is a Founding Faculty of the full residency Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing and Publishing (2015-), teaches for Oklahoma City University's Red Earth MFA (2016-), and is visiting faculty for the Summer Writing Program at Naropa University. She has directed the annual Literary Sandhill Crane Retreat, in conjunction with her studies in migration patterning influence on flyway communities, since 2007.

Hedge Coke taught second chance high school in gang intervention for the City of San Buena Ventura, incarcerated youth facilities in North Carolina, California, South Dakota, Montana, and New Mexico, served for several outreach urban, rural and reservation programs including numerous years as resident writer for CPITS (area coordinator), SDAC, and Arts Corr/South Dakotans for the Arts Juvenile Facilities. In both California and South Dakota she served as a resident writer for state mental hospitals (including criminally insane wards, Alzheimers and Dementia and acute care patients, and suicide prevention), for domestic violence shelters, Cancer clinics, and in homeless shelters. She has continued her work in this area with Writers Garret in Dallas, Texas and in teaching conferences.

Hedge Coke worked with migrant camp children and respective schools in California and taught K-12 schools in California and South Dakota including the Sioux Falls School District. with joint funding from the district, the Office of Indian Education and the state arts council. She taught spatial art and lyric writing for SPACE (Special Performing Arts and Cultural Events) in Raleigh and Cary NC, performance in Southern California (Director Children's Repertory Theater in Oxnard, Ca. and AIRPA).

Discography

• Streaming, Long Person Records, with trio project Rd Kl? (album).

Bibliography

• Streaming, Coffee House Press (poems) Split This Rock Teaching for Change Best Books of 2014 ISBN 978-1-56689-375-6

Winner: Wordcrafter of the Year Award Winner: 2015 IPPY Award - Bronze Medal (Independent Publisher Book Awards) Finalist: 2015 Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Award for superior cover art. Finalist: 2015 Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal for most thought-provoking book.Finalst: 2015 2015 Eric Hoffer Award. Longlist: 2015 PEN/Open Book Award 2014 Split This Rock Notable Book 2014 Teaching for Change Notable Book .

• "Effigies II: An Anthology of New Indigenous Writing." Editor, Salt Publishing. 2014 Native America Calling Book of the Month
• Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer, University of Nebraska Press (memoir, paperback edition), ISBN 978-0-8032-4846-5 Native America Calling Book of the Month.
• "Sing: Poetry of the Indigenous Americas", Editor, University of Arizona Press. 2011.
• "Effigies: An Anthology of New Indigenous Writing", Pacific Rim, Editor, Salt Publishing. 2009.
• "also, acquisition editor: Bone Light" by Orlando White, Red Hen Press. 2009.
• Ahani: Indigenous American Poetry", Editor, Oregon State University.
• Blood Run", Salt Publishing (poems (free verse play poems)) ISBN 1844712664 Wordcraft Circle Writer of the Year Award. Native America Calling Book of the Month.
• Off-Season City Pipe, Coffee House Press (poems) ISBN 978-1-56689-171-4

Wordcraft Circle Writer of the Year Award, New York Book Festival Mention [Poetry] Native America Calling Book of the Month.

• From the Fields, Editor, California Poets in the Schools Press.
• Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer, University of Nebraska Press (memoir) ISBN 978-0-8032-1527-6 Native America Calling Book of the Month.

AIROS Book-of-the-Month, Booklist ALA Starred.

• They Wanted Children, Editor, Sioux Falls School District Press. Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota)
• Coming to Life, Editor, Sioux Falls School District Press. Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota) Poems of Peace After 9-11.
• Dog Road Woman : PoemsISBN 978-1-56689-061-8 American Book Award, First Finalist Paterson Poetry Prize and Diane Decorah Award [Poetry], Coffee House Press.
• Year Of The Rat, (Chapbook) Grimes Press.
• It's Not Quiet Anymore: New Work from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Co-Senior Editor with Heather Ahtone, Institute of American Indian Arts Press.
• Voices of Thunder: New Work from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Co-Editor with Heather Ahtone, Institute of American Indian Arts Press.

Books edited or co-edited

Edited Books

• "Effigies II: An Anthology of New Indigenous Writing." Editor, Salt Publishing. 2014[11]
• "Sing: Poetry of the Indigenous Americas", Editor, University of Arizona Press. 2011.[12]
• "Effigies: An Anthology of New Indigenous Writing", Pacific Rim, Editor, Salt Publishing. 2009.[13]
• "Bone Light" by Orlando White, series editor, Red Hen Press. 2009.
• From the Fields, Editor, California Poets in the Schools Press. [14]
• Ahani: Indigenous American Poetry", Editor, Oregon State University. [15] Oregon State University.
• They Wanted Children, Editor, Sioux Falls School District Press. Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota) Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota) Poems and stories of coping. The Lost Boys from Sudan, American Indian students, Immigrant...
• Coming to Life, Editor, Sioux Falls School District Press. Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota)[16]. Sioux Falls School District (South Dakota) Poems of Peace After 9-11.
• It's Not Quiet Anymore: New Work from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Co-Senior Editor with Heather Ahtone, Institute of American Indian Arts Press. [17] Institute of American Indian Arts Press.
• Voices of Thunder: New Work from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Co-Editor with Heather Ahtone, Institute of American Indian Arts Press.*"Institute of American Indian Arts Press.

Magazines, Journals, and Folios Edited

• "Platte Valley Review." Executive Editor. 2009-2012.
• "Black Renaissance Noire." Contributing Editor. Current.
• "Kore Press KPoW Poem of the Week Series." Curator. Current.
• "Fulcrum Poetry." Folio Editor. 2016.
• "Plume Poetry.: Folio Editor. 2015.
• "Asian American Literary Review, Mixed Blood in a Box Edition." Folio Editor.
• "Connecticut Review." 2008.

Writing available online

• Memory from Salt Publishing.
• Street Confetti from Xcp: Streetnotes Winter 2003.
• Eternity Safeway from Xcp: Streetnotes Winter 2003.
• Clowns Crowned: in-RAGE from Xcp: Streetnotes Winter 2003.
• Allison Hedge Coke, "Placeholder: Carolina Poems of Love and Labor", Southern Spaces, 14 October 2010.
• Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, from Poetry Foundation Percheron Nambe Morning, Red Wing Blackbird, The Change, When the Animals Leave This Place, Wokiksuye

Critical reception

In an American Library Association starred Booklist review of Blood Run ALA reviewer Patricia Monaghan described Hedge Coke as William Blake

Of the mathematic prosody in "Blood Run" Chadwick Allen won a Don D. Walker Award for his paper published in "American Literature" of Duke Journals. Of Dog Road Woman Amiri Baraka described her as "skilled" and "spirited".

Mira Bartok's review of Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer in Fourth Genre

Reviews highlighted on University of Nebraska Press page include, Billings Gazette Reviewer's (Chris Rubich) statement as "Razor-sharp."

Nebraska Writers Page, Gathers review listings at Creighton University.

South Dakota Center for the Books Festival Featured Author

Noted on Hate Crimes

Interviews or autobiographical essays

• ECU/UNCC Interview with Allison Hedge Coke.
• Dakota Midday SDPR January 2008
• NPR Prosody WYEP Pittsburgh.
• AIROS August 2004 Book of the Month: Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer [RealAudio]
• Food for Thought Interview (3/19/04) on South Dakota Public Radio
• Writers Giving Back, Pass the Torch, by Catherine Wald, Poets and Writers (May 2004)
• Quiet Mountain Essays Interview with editor Suzanne Sunshower
• Speaking for the Generations : Native Writers on Writing, Sun Tracks Vol. 35, University of Arizona Press.
• French Connections, Christine Gelineau, editor.
• Writers Segment (2/5/01) on South Dakota Public Radio [RealAudio]
• Writers Segment (2/6/01) on South Dakota Public Radio [RealAudio]
• House Blend (9/17/00) on South Dakota Public Radio [RealAudio]
• House Blend (7/30/00) on South Dakota Public Radio [RealAudio]
• House Blend (7/2/00) on South Dakota Public Radio [RealAudio]
• James Thomas Stevens & Allison Hedge Coke on UN Radio (RealAudio) United Nations
• Cambridge Companion to Native American Literature
• Connecticut Review

Awards

• 2017 Tulsa Artist Fellow (Writer), Selected by Rilla Askew, Brando Skyhorse, Tyrone Williams, Nozlee Samadzadeh-Hadidi & Josefine Kals for the George Kaiser Family Foundation
• 2016 Witter Bynner Fellow, Selected by US Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera, US Library of Congress
• 2008-2016 Great Plains Fellow/Associate Fellow (2014-2016), Great Plains Center, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
• 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award, Native Writers Circle of the Americas
• 2015 Wordcrafter of the Year, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers
• 2015 Pen Southwest Book Award winner, Poetry, "Streaming"
• 2015 IPPY Award winner, Bronze Medal, Streaming
• 2015 Longlist PEN/Open Book Award, Streaming
• 2015 Finalist Eric Hoffer Award, Streaming
• 2015 Finalist Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Award for superior cover art, Streaming
• 2015 Finalist Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal for most thought-provoking book, Streaming
• 2015 Teaching for Change Recommended Books of 2014, Streaming
• 2015 Split This Rock Recommended Books of 2014, Streaming
• 2014 AIROS Native America Calling Feature, Streaming
• 2014 Distinguished Writer in Residence, University of Hawai"?i, M?noa
• 2014 AIROS Book-of-the-Month, Effigies II
• 2014 Pushcart Nomination by Editors of AALR
• 2014 Visiting Writer, University of California, Riverside
• 2013-2014 Fellow, Salon Ada
• 2012-2014 Artist in Residence, Writer, University of Central Oklahoma
• 2013 Writer"?s Fellowship, 26th annual Sovereignty Symposium, Oklahoma City
• 2013 Scholar in Residence, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
• 2013 ALA Listing Best Books of the University Presses for Sing
• 2013 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2012 Named to Editorial Board Black Renaissance Noire, New York University
• 2012 Residency, Thinking Like a River Colloquium, Wofford College
• 2012 National Editor of the Year Award, Wordcraft Circle for Sing
• 2007-2012 Endowed Chair in Creative Writing, The Distinguished Paul W. Reynolds and Clarice Kingston Chair, University of Nebraska
• 2012 Writing Fellowship, Kimmel Harding Nelson Residency
• 2012 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2012 International Keynote, Literary Conference University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• 2011 Writing Fellowships, Kimmel Harding Nelson Residency
• 2011 National Book Critics Circle Best of 2011 Listing, Critical Mass
• 2011 International IMRAM Literary Festival Dublin, Ireland
• 2011 Writing Fellowship, Lannan Foundation Fellowship Residency
• 2011 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2011 Grant, Nebraska Humanities Council
• 2010 Honorary Chair, Writers Garret Literary Arts Outreach to Homeless Programming
• 2010 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2010 NSF Residency, National Science Foundation, H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest Think Tank:Dr agonfly Eyes
• 2010 Carr Residency, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
• 2010 Grant, Nebraska Humanities Council
• 2009 International Literary Festival, Toronto, Canada
• 2009 ACTC Residency, Macalester College/Minneapolis Art Museum
• 2009 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2009 Literary Arts Fellowships, Nebraska Arts Council
• 2009 Grant, Nebraska Humanities Council
• 2005-2008 Fellowship, Black Earth Institute, 2009- Emeritus
• 2008 Writing Fellowship, Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities Annual Residency
• 2008 Visiting Residency, Foreign Expert, Shandong University, Weihai, China
• 2008 Endowed Lecture, Paul Hanly Furfey Lecturer, Association of Sociology
• 2008 Writing Fellowship, Hawthornden Castle Fellowship Residency
• 2008 Writing Fellowship, Soul Mountain Retreat with Marilyn Nelson
• 2008 Literary Arts Fellowships Nebraska Arts Council
• 2008 Grant, Nebraska Humanities Council
• 2008 National Editor of the Year Award, Wordcraft Circle for Journal Editing To Topos International
• Four Pushcart Prize nominations in 2009 for work published in 2008.
• Fellow University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Great Plains Study. 2008-current.
• South Dakota Arts Council Collaborative Grant in 2008-9.
• Paul Hanly Furfey Lecture. An Endowed Lecture. Association of Sociology in Religion. Boston, MA. 2008.
• Hawthornden Castle Fellow Residency. Hawthornden Castle 2008.
• United Nations Panel Facilitator. Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Forum. New York, NY. 2008. Invitational.
• Journal of the Year Editor in 2006-2007 Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers To Topos International Journal of Poetry Ahani: Indigenous American Poetry Oregon State University. 2008.
• Writer of the Year in Poetry in 2006-2007 by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers: Blood Run from Salt Publishing. 2008.
• Distinguished Paul and Clarice A. Reynolds Chair of English-Poetry & Writing- University of Nebraska at Kearney 2007-current.
• Delegate, United Nations Women in Peacemaking Conference, Joan B. Kroc Center for Peace and Justice, Kroc Center University of San Diego. San Diego, CA. 2006.
• United Nations Presenting Speaker. Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Forum. New York, NY. 2006. Invitational.
• Writer of the Year in Poetry in 2005 by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers Off Season City Pipe Coffeehouse Press.
• King Chavez Parks Teaching Award Northern Michigan University. 2005.
• Black Earth Institute, Fellow. Black Earth Institute. Madison, WI. 2005-2008.
• National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Visiting Professorship at Hartwick College Oneonta, New York. 2004.
• Book-of-the-Month, Native America Calling AIROS Native Radio Network, Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer. August 2004.
• Mayor's Award for Literary Excellence 2003. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls Empire Arts Council
• South Dakota Arts Council Artist Fellowship 2002.
• Excellence in Teaching AwardsSioux Falls Area Community Foundation. 2002 and 2004.
• Mentor of the Year in 2001 Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for national work with incarcerated Native youth.
• Reading Rainbow Judge. 2002.
• Pushcart Prize nominations 1999 and 2000.
• 'Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship finalist. 1999.
• South Dakota Arts Council Individual Artist Project Grants/Fellowships 1999, 2002.
• Dog Road Woman Winner 1998 American Book Award Before Columbus Foundation, finalist, 1998 Paterson Prize, finalist, Native Writers' Circle of the Americas First Book Award in Poetry.
• South Dakota Arts Council Artist in Residence 1998-current.
• Macdowell Colony Resident Fellow in Petersborough, New Hampshire, in fall 1996.
• Abiko Quarterly Editor's Choice Award. Cid Corman, Editor. 1995.
• Doris Gregory Memorial Scholarship and Creative Writing Award New Mexico Press Women 1993.
• Associate Residency Atlantic Center for the Arts 1992.
• PEN America Judge
• Named Fellow at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln Center for Great Plains Study 2008.
• Hawthornden Castle Fellow. Hawthornden Castle 2008.
• Named National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Visiting Writer at Hartwick College in 2004.