Southwest stories have always intrigued Rudolfo Anaya, which is why the famous writer’s annual lecture will feature fiction writer and food columnist Anne Hillerman for this year’s iteration.
The daughter of Tony Hillerman will speak on behalf of the UNM English Department and Anaya, a professor emeritus at the University.
The English department created the annual lecture in 2010, but Thursday’s lecture will be the first time a fiction writer is featured as the speaker. Melina Vizcaino-Aleman, an assistant professor in the English department, said she is excited about introducing the first genre fiction writer among the presenters since the lecture series started.
“We invited her because there is all of this activity in the scholarly community around the Hillerman name,” Vizcaino-Aleman said. “We wanted to capitalize on that and bring more attention to the event itself. But it’s also a way to open up the lecture series to genre fiction.”
Tony Hillerman’s works are being digitized this fall, allowing easy access to scholars, which was just one of the reasons Vizcaino-Aleman decided to invite Anne Hillerman to speak at the event.
“We’re also trying to raise money,” Vizcaino-Aleman said. “We have two funds: We have a lecture Anaya series fund, which funds the lecture series, it’s a spending account; we have another fund in (Rudolfo) Anaya’s name, and it’s a fellowship fund and we’re trying to get that endowed.”
According to Vizcaino-Aleman, the fellowship fund needs to reach $2,500, which would award a Hispanic undergraduate or graduate student to help them continue their collegiate career. Vizcaino-Aleman said she hopes the award would lean toward Southwest studies, but can be awarded to anyone in the English department.
She said she has been chair of the speaker selection committee since 2012, and has been on the committee since it began five years ago.
“Rudy is just excited that there is interest surrounding southwest literature and southwest writers,” Vizcaino-Aleman said. “Any attention and appreciation that we’re bringing to that, he’s all for it.”
Although Anaya is not going to be in attendance, Vizcaino-Aleman said that he wants to be involved in his annual series as much as possible.
Hillerman and Anaya have both signed posters that will be auctioned off to help fund the series or the fellowship. Vizcaino-Aleman said donors will be able to choose which fund they want to support.
She said anyone who contributes at least $100 will also receive a poster signed by both authors.
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“Rudy is more than happy to sign or do anything that is going to contribute to increased awareness for the event,” Vizcaino-Aleman said. “That’s one of our ploys: to raise awareness and raise some money.”
Vizcaino-Aleman said Anne Hillerman is excited and honored to be the 2015 lecturer in the newest addition of the lecture series, at time when all her father’s works will be available to their widest audience yet.
“There’s a lot of activity going around the Hillerman name this fall. There’s the launching of the eHillerman portal, which is an initiative through the library where they are digitizing all of his archival collections, posting them online and making them more accessible for folks doing research or people just interested in his work,” Vizcaino-Aleman said,
Hillerman will be presenting in room 101 of George Pearl Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The lecture is free to everyone who attends.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
