Thursday, November 5^th, 5 – 6 pm
Building 305, Fort Worden State Park

Join us Thursday, November 5^th from 5 – 6 pm for an intimate reading and brief art presentation by writer Sara Marie Ortiz and visual artist Carissa Eich, who are participating in Centrum’s Indigenous Artist & Writer Residency program. Started in 2025, this residency program brings together two artists, one visual and one writer, to spend a week at Centrum to create work and connect. They are provided with lodging, studio space, and a stipend. We hope you will join us to hear Sara Marie read and learn more about Carissa’s work.

This event is free and open to the public.

Carissa Eich is the artist behind Nihidzill meaning “Our Strength” in the Diné (Navajo) language. She is a recent Arizona State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in graphic information technology. She creates Indigenous contemporary art with photography and graphic design as her main mediums. From landscapes of the Navajo Nation reservation to symbols such as tipis and eagle feathers, Carissa Eich cultivates her artwork to engage her audience in connecting with her Indigenous identity. Her goal is to spread a message about Indigenous resilience and growth through her artwork in the modern art world. She now lives in Washington State, working on new projects that celebrate Washington landmarks and culture.

Sara Marie Ortiz is a Seattle-based educator, Native arts, lit, and culture specialist and writer of creative nonfiction, poetry, and mixed-genre work. She is the youngest daughter of Acoma Pueblo author and scholar Simon J. Ortiz. She is an enrolled citizen of Acoma Pueblo, a proud graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts (BFA in creative writing) and Antioch University Los Angeles (MFA in creative writing). She has studied formally writing, law, Native studies, theater, and film. She has published widely, has been featured in such publications as the Kenyon Review, the Florida Review, Ploughshares, and she has presented widely from her beloved birthplace in New Mexico, throughout the Pacific Northwest, and all the way to Johannesburg, South Africa. Sara Marie is a passionate professional Native educator and advocate in the realm of Native arts, culture, literature, Tribal languages, education, and community. She currently serves as the Native Education Program Manager for Highline Public Schools in Burien, Washington and the Westside Urban Representative on the Washington State Native American Education Advisory Committee to the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction, loves watching movies and listening to all kinds of music (especially chilled electronic, old timey bluegrass, alternative, and hip hop) going to concerts and music festivals, and has a 6 month old Miniature Schnauzer baby named Rocky.