Published at: 06:10 pm - Monday October 11 2010
I’d like to invite you to check out my latest project: an online forum for LGBTQ youth.
I am currently pursuing my MFA at Antioch University Los Angeles. One of the primary reasons I chose to study at Antioch is because the program incorporates an element of social justice. Each graduate writing student is required to complete a Field Study in which they explore their role as a writer engaged in their community. This new blog “Shoutin’ OUT from the South!” is my Field Study.
As a queer person who grew up in the Bible Belt, I am intimately aware of the struggles of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in the South. And as a writer, I know how vital and life-saving freedom of expression can be. Sadly, this is one of the many basic rights that are often stripped from LGBTQ youth in conservative areas.
I am launching this site in honor of National Coming Out Day, which is Monday, October 11. It is my “shout out” to all of the young people out there who are isolated and living in fear and silence. It is my invitation to them to speak out. I want to know what they have to say to the world. And, I want them to know that they are not alone.
The writing topics on this blog will evolve over time, but to begin, I’d like to invite LGBTQ youth to share their coming out stories. Visit the site and click on “submission guidelines” for more info.
Please help me spread the word about this project. Thanks!
Published at: 03:09 pm - Thursday September 24 2009
I’d like to give a shout out to the fabulous poets I’ve met in the past couple months at the Carver Theatre: Jahbu, Buttafly, Brian, Odyssey, and others…
On Stage @ the Carver is a free open mic spoken word event held every third Sunday of the month from 7-9 p.m. at the Carver Theatre, located in the historic 4th Avenue Business District of downtown Birmingham.
I stumbled upon this monthly poetry event somewhat by accident, and it’s been an awesome discovery. As a writer who’s recently moved to the Birmingham area, these folks have shown me a lot of love. The group (usually about 30 or so people) represents a diverse range of writers and writing styles and is open to and supportive of all forms of self-expression. Each evening there has been a balance of laughter and tears, a mixture of rage and hope, time for both self-promotion and community networking, and a place at the mic for everyone.
If you live in the area, please come and share your words or just enjoy the show. I promise you will be entertained and inspired. The wine and the verses are free-flowing! If you don’t live nearby, I encourage you to search out or form a similar group in your area. Find your stage. Use your voice.
Published at: 12:09 pm - Thursday September 03 2009
The other thing I did over the weekend was to attend a ceremony in Como, MS for the unveiling of a blues marker in recognition of fife master Otha Turner, whose unique style of fife and drum music has received national accolades and awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts Heritage award and the Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement Award. A diverse crowd of a hundred or so people gathered on one of the most pleasant and sunny Saturdays ever–80ish degrees with relief from the occasional gentle breeze. It was an honor to meet Turner’s family and to hear people speak about all aspects of his life: tales of music, chickens, and practical advice. Particularly moving was a song performed by Turner’s protégé, granddaughter Sharde Thomas. Later that night I was fooling around on the internet and stumbled upon a video of Otha Turner being interviewed about his life and music. One of the things he said was, “I love to meet anybody with a smiling face. That’s the way I live.” This struck me as maybe one of the nicest, simplest, and wisest things I’ve ever heard anyone say. This sentiment accompanied by the uprising energy of the fife and drum music—with it’s infusion of African, military, blues, tribal, hip-hop, and sometimes slightly Caribbean sound—lingers with me still and captures my experience of the entire weekend. Otha Turner’s first CD, Everybody’s Hollerin’ Goat, was released in 1998 (when he was 90 years old) and named one of the top five blues albums of the decade by Rolling Stone. I recommend you listen to it.
Published at: 08:09 pm - Wednesday September 02 2009
I just got back to Birmingham today after a long weekend in Mississippi where I taught two “Character Crazy” workshops at the public libraries in Como and Batesville. Discussions with the kids—ranging in age from 5 to 17—mostly focused on how pervasive and significant the art of storytelling is in our culture, what makes a story “good,” and what kinds of characters are interesting (and why). Throughout the workshops, I helped the children make sense of all kinds of vocabulary words (plot, setting, conflict, drama, background, introduction, conclusion, etc.). I also showed them how to create their own characters, which they then shared with each other and used as launch pads for writing short stories. One of these tales was a tragicomedy written by kids in Como about a young woman named Veronica, who was fired from Burger King for catching the chicken on fire. It was absolutely heartbreakingly hilarious. I had a great time working with both groups; their unique voices are indelibly etched in my mind.
