Poetry and prose happened. Tears (yes, I cried a couple times; I’m not ashamed—writing does that, when it works well, and let me tell you, everything was working well on Saturday). Laughter.
OG Queer Voices people — the founders! Carolyn Holbrook, Andrea Jenkins, John Medeiros — showed up and received a heaping helping of well-deserved praise and flowers, from our most excellent MCs and hosts (and co-curators of Queer Voices), LM Brimmer and Sherrie Fernandez-Williams.
Junauda Petrus read from her YA novel, The Stars and the Blackness Between Them, and it was frankly hilarious. I’ve never heard her read before, which I immediately regretted. I have not read much fiction lately, which I also immediately regretted.
Sun Yung Shin read poetry:
Roy Guzmán, who I’ve had the pleasure of hearing read twice now, was fantastic:
And Marlin Jenkins made me cry:
One of my favorite people, Erin Sharkey, read some of her poetry (a rare treat):
And afterward, cupcakes and socializing! (No cupcake photos for you.)
And that’s all I’ve got for now…back to the grind 😵💫.