FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEPAL BENEFIT AND BOOK RELEASE BRINGS TOGETHER TWO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS AND TWO AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS FOR ONE AFTERNOON AT THE ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM ALBUQUERQUE, NM –

On April 25th, 2015 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake tackled the
country of Nepal. Over 8000 are dead, and counting. The country’s antiquated infrastructure was not built to withstand the natural disaster that left an already fragile economy flat, and many with our homes, food and water.

On Sunday, July 12th at 2pm, Inaugural Albuquerque Poet Laureate Hakim Bellamy and acclaimed visual artist Joanne Lefrak host a fundraiser to benefit their newfound family and network still recovering from the quake. Two hundred (200) numbered, limited edition copies of Bellamy’s new book Prayer Flag Poems (Swimming With Elephants Publications) will go on sale at the event with all proceeds going directly to the organizations, schools and families that Bellamy and Lefrak befriended on their 2014 trip to Nepal. Lefrak (Director of Education at SITE Santa Fe) will join Bellamy at the July 12th event to share photos and context for their 2014 trip that began as a collaborative artistic project and resulted in an a life changing experience.

The event will also feature special guests Dr. David Stryker and UNM Economist Lee Reynis. Stryker and Reynis are Albuquerque residents who found themselves trekking the border between Nepal and China when the April 25th earthquake occurred. They
will share stories from their experience of being stranded for days after the earthquake, and their safe return to Albuquerque.

IN A WORD: NEPAL will be held at 2pm on July 12th, 2015 at the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History (2000 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104). This educational community event is open to the public and appropriate for all ages.

Charitable donations can be made with cash, check or credit card at the event.

For more information please contact Hakim Bellamy at beyond.poetry@writeme.com or
505.750.7226.