The recorded broadcast of co-authors Jim Kristofic and Edison Eskeets’ visit to San Juan College in September as part of the One Book, One Community program will be presented Feb. 27 at San Juan College in Farmington.

Eskeets and Kristofic collaborated on “Send A Runner: A Navajo Honors the Long Walk,” the 2022 One Book, One Community selection. The broadcast features the co-authors’ perspectives and insights on the collaboration, as well as readings from their lauded book about the ceremonial run that Eskeets, supported by his family, undertook to honor survivors of the Long Walk.

The event is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 in Room 9006, at San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd.

“Send a Runner: A Navajo Honors the Long Walk,” was named a Southwest Book of the Year and received a Booklist starred review.

Between 1863 and 1866, more than 10,000 Navajo (Diné) were forcibly removed to the Bosque Redondo Reservation at Fort Sumner, in current-day New Mexico. During the Long Walk, the U.S. military marched Diné men, women and children 250 to 450 miles, depending on their route.

Summer 2018 marked the 150th anniversary of the Diné's return to their homelands. One Diné family and their community decided to honor that return. Edison Eskeets and his family organized a ceremonial run from Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, to Santa Fe in order to deliver a message and to honor the survivors of the Long Walk.

The book told the story of how Eskeets and his family used the power of running to honor their ancestors and the power of history to explain why the Long Walk happened.

Kristofic shares on his blog that he has always liked telling stories and grew up on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona. He’s worked on and off the reservation for more than 10 years as a river guide, journalist, ranch hand, National Park ranger and oral historian. He has written for The Navajo Times, Arizona Highways, Native Peoples Magazine and High Country News.

Kristofic lives in Taos, New Mexico, but considers Diné Bikéyah – the Navajo Reservation – his home.

His memoir, “Navajos Wear Nikes: A Reservation Life” (2011) was acclaimed by the Arizona Daily Sun for its “wit and keen observation” and by New Mexico Magazine for “consummate storytelling.” It was a finalist for the Spur Award from the Western Writer’s of America and the 2011 Southwest Book of the Year.

Kristofic’s other works include: “Reservation Restless”; “The Hero Twins: A Navajo-English Story of the Monster Slayers”; “Medicine Women: The Story of the Fist Native American Nursing School”; “House Gods: Sustainable Buildings and Renegade Builders”; and “Black Sheep, White Crow.”