UAS faculty and poet Emily Wall Receives 2023 Rasmuson Project Award for Literary Arts

Emily Wall will complete a book of poems, written as a conversation between a woman raising teenage daughters in a world that is not safe for women, and a blue-haired, sneaker-wearing, angel who writes back.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: November 20, 2023

The Rasmuson Foundation has announced its 2023 Individual Artist Awards, with poet Emily Wall receiving a project award in the category for Literary Arts. Emily Wall will complete a book of poems, written as a conversation between a woman raising teenage daughters in a world that is not safe for women, and a blue-haired, sneaker-wearing, angel who writes back. These poems will ask questions about power, belief, and safety for women in today's #metoo society.

Wall notes, “My hope is that this book will spark a collective conversation about how spirituality, both as a source of power and controversy, can empower women instead of being weaponized against them.”

A Professor of English at UAS, Emily Wall has been teaching creative writing for over 25 years. She is also the faculty advisor for the annual literary journal Tidal Echoes. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Arizona, and also holds two bachelor degrees from Colby College in Maine.

According to the Rasmuson Foundation website, the intent of the Individual Artist Awards program is to “put money directly in the hands of artists. The awards are part of a strategy to support the culture of Alaska, the vibrancy of our communities and art itself.” Including the 2023 recipients, the Foundation has awarded more than $6million since 2004.

UAS Chancellor Aparna Palmer remarked, “Professor Wall is an extraordinary member of our faculty. Not only is she a beloved professor who is known for her excellence in teaching, she is an accomplished poet who is deeply respected by her peers both locally and nationally. We are so proud of her and we are thrilled that she is here at the University of Alaska Southeast.”