indigenous writer in residency

The CLBS Indigenous Writer in Residence program began in 2022. Its creation was spurred by the work of Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer who has and continues to draw inspiration from and write at Cranberry Lake Biological Station. The residency seeks to provide Indigenous writers with the space, time, and place to explore their creative endeavors.

Cranberry Lake Biological Station is located in the heart of the Adirondack Park, on the ancestral lands of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and has been in use as a living classroom for 105 years. CLBS provides seclusion for research, teaching, contemplation, and creative endeavors.

Three, three−week residencies are available each year, with some flexibility based on the writer's schedule: late May – mid- June, mid-June – early July, and mid-July – early August. Housing, meals, and a workspace will be provided, in addition to a $1000 travel stipend. The resident will also have access to all facilities including canoes, classroom spaces, microscopes, and the ability to join classes if desired. Additional needs and requests will be considered on a case−by−case basis. The residency is jointly supported by the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment and Cranberry Lake Biological Station.

Expectations: It is expected that each resident will offer two evening readings/discussion during the residency, one for students at the station and one for local residents, these programs will be planned in conjunction with CLBS staff. In the fall writers are asked to participate either virtually or in person in an event on the SUNY ESF main campus in Syracuse, NY alongside the other residents. Past residents are also asked to serve on the selection committee for the next year.