FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT

Melanie Harding, Office of Mayor Victoria Woodards, melanie.harding@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5156

Tacoma Mayor Selects ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange for Tacoma Reads 2019

--Mayor to Host an Event with the Author on Sept. 20--

Tacoma, Wash. -- Mayor Victoria Woodards has selected the bestselling debut novel “There There” by Tommy Orange for the 2019 Tacoma Reads Together program. This powerful novel is a multi-generational, relentlessly paced story of 12 urban Native Americans traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow who find they are interconnected in ways they may not yet realize.

“In partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, we have unique opportunities to host community conversations and programming to engage all of us more deeply in learning about the urban Native American experience as well as the long lasting impacts of heritage and culture,” said Woodards. “Tommy Orange’s award-winning first novel offers complex characters grappling with the concept of identity, a captivating plot, and vividly descriptive writing.”

On Friday, September 20 at 6:30 PM, Orange will visit Tacoma for a fireside-style chat entitled “A Conversation with Tommy Orange Hosted by Mayor Victoria Woodards” at Tacoma’s historic Rialto Theater (310 S. 9th St.). This is a free, community event with advance tickets available through TacomaArtsLive.org or by calling (253) 591-5894 starting Monday, July 22 at 11 AM.

“This book about identity and serious issues facing Native Americans and urban tribes is a wonderful choice for Tacoma Reads, and our tribe is happy to support it,” said David Z. Bean, chairman of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. “I encourage our members and anyone interested in learning more to participate in the upcoming events.”

Tacoma Reads Together is a local community reading program that seeks to unite the community in dialogue around contemporary themes through reading a common text.

“There There” is available at the Tacoma Public Library, and will also be available for sale at King’s Books. This novel contains mature themes and is recommended for ages 16 and up. Information on the event and the Tacoma Reads Together programming will be available on the Tacoma Public Library’s events calendar at tacomalibrary.org, and on the Puyallup Tribe’s events calendar at Puyallup-Tribe.com.

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