Author To Spotlight Gun Violence, Indigenous Women’s Lives in Lecture at SUNY Oneonta

By FLORECITA SILVERIO
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

SUNY Oneonta will welcome students and community members to campus this Monday, October 6 to hear author Toni Jensen deliver the annual Mills Distinguished Lecture. Jensen is the author of “Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land,” which is the university’s 2025-2026 Common Read book. The Mills Lecture is a centerpiece of SUNY Oneonta intellectual life that connects classroom study with real-world issues. The event is designed to spark dialogue, bring nationally-recognized voices to campus, and encourage meaningful conversation about topics that matter both locally and globally.

Published in 2020, Jensen’s acclaimed “memoir-in-essays,” “Carry,” was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, an international award given to writers whose work promotes peace and social justice. Her body of work consistently explores the intersections of personal narrative and history, weaving together stories of survival and resilience while confronting the ongoing legacies of violence in America.

“Carry,” specifically, takes on themes such as gun violence, the meaning of land and place, and the lives of Indigenous women. Jensen is Métis, an Indigenous population in Canada with mixed ancestry from both First Nations and European settlers. In the five years since the book was published, it has been praised for its honesty and ability to illuminate difficult truths without losing sight of hope and resilience.

The choice of “Carry” for this year’s Mills Lecture was intentional and deeply relevant.

According to Dr. George Hovis, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and chair of the Common Read Committee, Jensen’s book “accurately and objectively diagnoses violence in America in a variety of forms and, although it doesn’t explicitly offer solutions, it tries to point in the direction of possible solutions.”

In a time when conversations about gun violence, systemic injustice, and the treatment of Indigenous peoples remain central to American public discourse, Jensen’s voice offers both clarity and urgency, Hovis said. Her work insists on the importance of acknowledging painful truths while also seeking pathways forward.

Jensen’s achievements extend well beyond this memoir. “Carry” was selected as a “New York Times” Editors’ Choice title. Her essays and stories have appeared in literary publications including “Orion.” She is also the author of the 2010 short story collection “From the Hilltop.” Beyond her writing, she teaches at the University of Arkansas and the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico, where she encourages students to bring diverse perspectives and personal experience into their creative work. This role as both writer and educator makes Jensen uniquely attuned to the power of storytelling to foster empathy and understanding.

The Mills Lecture not only gives SUNY Oneonta and the greater Oneonta area access to writers like Jensen, it also creates an atmosphere of shared inquiry. Past lectures from the likes of George Takei (2022) and Janet Mock (2016) have left lasting impressions by sparking difficult conversations and inspiring students to look at their own communities differently. In this way, the event is not just about listening to a speaker, it is about participating in a tradition of critical engagement and open dialogue.

For students and community members who attend, this year’s event promises more than just a lecture. It is a chance to hear directly from a leading voice whose work challenges assumptions and deepens understanding of America’s most pressing issues. Whether audience members have already read “Carry” or are simply curious about the themes it raises, the evening offers an opportunity for meaningful reflection and conversation. Prior to the lecture, Jensen will spend the day meeting with multiple groups of students, faculty and staff across campus.

The Mills Lecture has a long history at SUNY Oneonta. It was established in 1988 by Professor Albert Mills and his wife through an endowment that continues to fund the event each year.

According to Bill Harcleroad, director of campus activities and leadership, “Professor Albert Mills and his wife, [Helena] they established an endowment in 1988 to bring speakers to campus… It generates somewhere around $19,000.00 a year that we can spend on an author. And if we need to supplement that, the first person we turn to is the Activities Council.”

Since its founding, the public lecture has become one of the university’s signature intellectual traditions, a highlight of each academic year. Events like the Mills Lecture affirm the university’s commitment to fostering dialogue and promoting inclusivity, officials said—which is one of the three core values supporting SUNY Oneonta’s mission. This year, Jensen’s appearance underscores the enduring value of literature and storytelling as tools for both personal connection and social change.

The 2025 Mills Distinguished Lecture will be held on Monday, October 6 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Hunt Union Ballroom on the SUNY Oneonta campus. The event is free and open to the public. Due to limited seating, it is recommended that guests reserve seats online through the university’s ticket office site. 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.