May 20 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
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This program is being offered in a virtual format. In order to participate, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing olivia@smithcenter.org.
with Olivia Gonyea
Welcome to a community of book lovers diving into current and relevant book material.
We will be reading We Will Be Jaguars | A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson. On May 20th, Olivia (Smith Center’s Cancer Support Program and Retreat Coordinator), will lead us in a lively discussion about the book. Please join us no matter how much or little of the book you have read. You are welcome to join even if you have not read the book.
Pop-Up Book Club will be held from 12:00-1:00pm EST.
Read reviews and a description of the book below:
Named one of the Best Nonfiction Books of the Year by Library Journal
“An unforgettable memoir about fighting for your home and your heart.” –Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club November ’24 Pick)
From a fearless, internationally acclaimed activist comes an impassioned memoir about an indigenous childhood, a clash of cultures, and the fight to save the Amazon rainforest
We Will Be Jaguars is an astonishing memoir by an equally astonishing woman. Nenquimo is a winner of TIME magazine’s Earth Award, and MS. magazine named this book among the Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2024.
Born into the Waorani tribe of Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest–one of the last to be contacted by missionaries in the 1950s–Nemonte Nenquimo had a singular upbringing.
She was taught about plant medicines, foraging, oral storytelling, and shamanism by her elders. At age fourteen, she left the forest for the first time to study with an evangelical missionary group in the city. Eventually, her ancestors began appearing in her dreams, pleading with her to return and embrace her own culture. She listened.
Two decades later, Nemonte has emerged as one of the most forceful voices in climate change activism. She has spearheaded the alliance of indigenous nations across the Upper Amazon and led her people to a landmark victory against Big Oil, protecting over a half million acres of primary rainforest. Her message is as sharp as a spear–honed by her experiences battling loggers, miners, oil companies and missionaries.
In We Will Be Jaguars, she partners with her husband, Mitch Anderson, founder of Amazon Frontlines, digging into generations of oral history, uprooting centuries of conquest, hacking away at racist notions of indigenous peoples, and ultimately revealing a life story as rich, harsh, and vital as the Amazon rainforest herself.
Purchase a copy of the book here.
Suggested Donation: $20
This program is offered for free or at a low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis. Contributions are not required to attend, ensuring accessibility for everyone. If you’re able to donate, we deeply appreciate your support—every contribution directly funds our cancer support programs.
About the Authors
About Olivia Gonyea – Cancer Support Programs & Retreat Coordinator
olivia@smithcenter.org
Olivia Gonyea has been active in the cancer community for over 11 years as a childhood cancer survivor. She is also the founder of her own nonprofit organization that she created to support young people affected by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses at home in Buffalo, New York. Olivia never forgot the way that arts and creativity supported her during her experience with cancer and this inspired her to become involved with Smith Center. Olivia served as a Cancer Support Programs Intern in the Fall of 2021 and worked with Smith Center on her senior capstone project that focused on planning, implementing, and evaluating a photography-based program. Olivia received a degree in Public Health and International Studies from American University in DC and came on as a full-time staff in July 2022. She is excited to explore her interest in art and create connections with participants. Meet Olivia when you walk into Smith Center or want to learn more about programs and/or retreats!
