By Max Stone
Listening to poets in far-reaching areas of the country from the comfort of my couch, bed, kitchen table, or desk has been one of the small benefits of the pandemic. When everything shifted to Zoom, poetry readings became infinitely more accessible. I saw some of my favorite poets read their work in ways that I otherwise would have been unable to experience. These readings were inspiring and uplifting, but I found myself missing the physical presence and connection of other people—as many did.

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By Kimberly Roberts
Sometimes a photograph captures more than the material reality contained within the image. This photograph, taken by Nathan Clark in 1931 on a Sierra Club expedition, expresses the club’s most deeply held ideals, constructing a story larger than its own making. An ice cave, silhouetted in reflected light, forms an abstract frame around three figures—Nathan’s brother Lewis, Sierra Club secretary Virginia Ferguson, and Virginia Adams, the wife of photographer Ansel Adams.

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By Staff of Nevada Humanities
Nevada Humanities has been having fun outside this spring with Humanities in Nature, an outdoor program that integrates the humanities into an exploration of the natural world, which is part of a joyful collaboration with Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation. These walks have introduced northern Nevada residents to their outdoor environment and encouraged them to explore and reimagine the outdoors through the lens of human connection and creation.

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By Heather Lang-Cassera
Not wanting to care
for the pigeons,
their patterns of negative night sky bodies,
not wanting to love
their heart-curved flesh,
too large for the dry riverbeds
of my hands

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By Aliza Berlin
I used to feel mournful when I heard stories about people who were never able to fulfill their potential. Nothing was more heartbreaking than wasted time and wilted dreams. I have seen a lot of that in the past few years, and as the constant images of people turning on each other have flooded my screens, I have found myself retreating further into the safety of my home bubble.

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By Jeff Fulmer
Growing up in rural West-Central Indiana, I never gave much thought to what kind of career I wanted to have. Sure, parents, especially grandparents, would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” On the playground of Anna Willson Elementary School, kids would pretend to be policemen (now hopefully the more gender-appropriate police officers) or firefighters, race car drivers, professional basketball players, or any number of careers. None of these seemed quite real to me.

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By Ms.AyeVee
Like star-crossed lovers
desert rain & neon lights don’t dance often.
on those rare summer nights
they meet and intertwine into a dizzying monsoon of sparkle.
the entire city stops to stare.

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By Paul Stoddard
You don’t know what you’re doing;
Do it anyway-
Jump! Don’t look too far out;
It takes many moons to see
The unraveling

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By Tomi Simmons
We met on the corner of the coffee shop and Fremont street
Lights blinding us
Pollen hitting the pavement
Butterflies in season
We met in the morning as
I woke up in the midst

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By Dr. Lynn Kotlicky, PT, DPT, CIDN
Pain is a feeling that is part of the human experience, despite poor understanding of our expectations of treatment and experiencing it. As a panelist on the Nevada Humanities Nevada Humanities Salon: Pain and Healing in March 2018, this topic was explored by a variety of clinicians with different perspectives and treatments around chronic pain.

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By Autumn Widdoes
In December 2021, I suffered loss twice. First, I lost my mom to cancer and then, two weeks later, I lost a lifetime’s work. Both losses are entangled with each other and both continue to haunt me. Prior to my mom’s death, I spent four months in Florida caregiving for her full time. About a month before she passed away, I wrote in one of my journals about time.

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By Gailmarie Pahmeier
Before the committee meeting officially
begins, colleagues chat amicably about
their jobs prior to the luxury of academia.
This sort of earnest comradery,
found so often a skillset of younger
faculty, is admirable but baffling,
can prolong a meeting to spectacular
length. Sometimes I leave my body, travel

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By Kim Garrison Means
Once in a while, if we are lucky, we find an opportunity to be part of something wonderful – something that leaves a positive imprint on the world and in the hearts of all involved, something that transcends its stated goals and becomes a form of magic, weaving together individual stories and histories and perspectives into a tapestry of connections. Spirit of the Land has been like that for me.

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By Teri Vela
Of little note—
the bottles of milk and water, six ounces max.
Nipple tops, one with a rubber straw; she likes
to spill and give the rest to the dog.
Then the solid snacks: strawberries
cut into fingernail medallions, vague isosceles,
popcorn for my father, a banana he can share.

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By Jeff Young
When thinking of Las Vegas, the first thing that comes to mind is the spectacular Las Vegas Strip and its dazzling neon lights. These illuminated monuments have beckoned visitors and locals of all ages to bask in the excitement of the Entertainment Capital of the World. Since creating the Boulder Club sign in downtown Las Vegas in 1932, Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) has been proud to play an integral role in developing Las Vegas’ worldwide reputation.

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By Matt Malinowski
Frank Herbert’s Dune sets the scene with the classic line, “Arrakis – Dune - Desert Planet,” but to describe Nevada in such a complete and beautiful way is nearly impossible. An ethereal strangeness clings to our state. Whenever I feel comfortable here, something else mysterious, exuberant, or even dangerous, captures my attention. Nevada, with its otherworldly setting, and diversity of life appeals to my appreciation of science fiction and has kept me connected, intrigued, and even humbled.

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By Kelli Luchs and Emily Fellmer
Las Vegas and neon are synonymous with each other. When you think of Las Vegas, you think of its dazzling skyline and brilliant lights. Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) has played a significant role in creating Las Vegas’ shining reputation. The company has created many signs that have defined the look and feel of Las Vegas. From its early use of neon on Fremont Street in the 1930s, to the Strip “spectaculars” of the 1950s and 1960s, to the cutting-edge technologies of today, YESCO has helped mold the image of Las Vegas.

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By Kathleen Kuo
Winter is the season for comfort food, and for me, there is no comfort food like the humble dumpling. These edible little parcels are literal gifts that deliver joy with every bite. Dumplings are wondrous in both their simplicity and complexity; on the one hand, a dumpling can be as simple as a filling contained within a wrapper. On the other hand, there are myriad ways that you can choose to fill, fold, and cook your dumplings. (I personally prefer the boiled or steamed method when making them at home myself) I also enjoy the particulars of dumpling taxonomy - what even constitutes a dumpling in the first place?

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Nevada Humanities is pleased to announce A More Perfect Union—a new initiative of events and programs that will deepen our appreciation for the connections between the humanities, our community stories, and the history of the United States.

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