On Sunday, May 31st, we invite you to join us at ‘UBA SEO: Nisenan Arts & Culture for a special book launch and community gathering celebrating What Came West with author Josh Weil.
This newly released novel explores the Sierra Nevada at the cusp of the gold rush – a time often mythologized in the American colonial psyche, but rarely told with attention to the Indigenous presence and the profound environmental and Cultural destruction that followed.
Over the course of more than three years, Shelly Covert, Tribal Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, consulted closely on this work to ensure that Nisenan representation was accurate, respectful, and Culturally grounded. This collaboration helps correct long-standing narratives of an “empty” or “untouched” West, restoring visibility to the People who have always called this place home.
Through the art of storytelling, What Came West plays an important role in challenging dominant narratives of the American West. By bringing forward a more complete and grounded account of this place, it helps restore visibility to Nisenan presence and contributes to a broader effort to confront historical erasure and invite a more honest reckoning with the past.
The event will include a book talk and conversation with Shelly and author Josh Weil, offering insight into the research, relationships, and responsibilities behind telling stories of this Land.
The evening will also feature music, light refreshments, and space for community connection.
