Students, faculty and staff across the Cal Poly Pomona campus will read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass” as part of the annual Common Read program.
This community initiative encourages all CPP students, staff, faculty and friends to read and engage with the same book. The Common Read is also a component of the university’s First Year Experience (FYE) courses.
A member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer is a trained botanist that embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings offer us gifts and lessons. In “Braiding Sweetgrass,” she argues that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.
Dorothy Farias, a lecturer in the Department of Agribusiness & Food Industry Management/Agricultural Science, nominated the book. She teaches courses on the agricultural foundations of civilization, policy and ethical issues in agriculture, and international agribusiness marketing. She learned about “Braiding Sweetgrass” while building her Agricultural Foundations of Civilization course reading list. Farias’s research interests focus on educating the public about the trends and issues in today’s agriculture industry, and she focused on the book’s emphasis on natural connections and lifelong learning.
“I was immediately drawn to the overarching theme of the book regarding the wisdom of ancient civilizations with respect to interacting with the living world, particularly plant ecosystems,” Farias said. “The concepts of reciprocity, gratitude and reconciliation are inherent throughout the book, offering students the chance to consider their choices and behaviors, and the impact of decisions made at the individual level affecting their community and beyond.”
In FYE courses, first-year students learn more about student life and opportunities for their major. Many students often feel overwhelmed with starting a new life experience and navigating the university. Farias hopes that by reading “Braiding Sweetgrass,” students can feel more connected to themselves and the natural world.
“Learn By Doing the essence of interactions with the natural world. Our students can see how Kimmerer uses their indigenous background and knowledge to connect to the struggles experienced in past and present,” Farias said. “Using the lens embodies of indigenous cultures and knowledge, she connects readers in a unique way by examining our interrelationships with the natural world, and with each other.
“My hope in sharing this book with others is that we can begin to have more public conversations about changing our habits and systems to better prepare for a future affected by resource depletion, climate change, and biodiversity loss.”
All students are encouraged to participate in the essay contest surrounding the themes of “Braiding Sweetgrass.” Students can identify issues addressed in the book for their FYE PolyX assignment, which will culminate in either the fall FYE and Learn Through Discovery Showcase or the spring FYE Celebration. Information about these opportunities will be available on the FYE website.
FYE will celebrate its 16th anniversary in the 2022-23 academic year. Since 2007, the FYE community has grown with new students, faculty and staff engaging in programming. The Common Read is organized by the Office of Student Success, Equity, and Innovation and the First Year Experience Committee, comprised of faculty and staff across colleges and divisions.