Illustration by Harold Steward.
Gay wordsmiths will be given an opportunity to speak their truths in poetry via the new monthly event, “Queerly Speaking”. This month's program will be Friday, September 25, at the Backbeat Cafe & Listening Room (formerly Opening Bell Coffee @ Mosaic) at the corner of Pearl and Akard streets in Downtown Dallas. The show starts at 8pm and will be held every fourth Friday of the month.
“Queerly Speaking” is a program of the newly formed collective, Fahari Arts Institute (“Fahari” means “pride” in Swahili). Fahari Arts Institute exists to celebrate and chronicle the contributions of LGBT writers, artists, and musicians throughout the African diaspora. Fahari's inaugural event was co-hosting a memorial for E. Lynn Harris in August 2009 with The View of Dallas, an African-American gay book club.
Fahari's artistic director, Harold Steward, says, “I noticed a lack of performing spaces that same-gender-loving poets, especially men, felt comfortable enough to openly express affection in romantic poetry to members of the same sex. This will give them a venue for same-gender-loving poets to recognize each other and honor each others' work.” Steward also believes it important that gay poetry fans be given safe space to celebrate this work in their own call-and-response fashion.
So if you've been writing and looking for a place to perform your queer poetry or gay hip-hop works, this could be the venue for you. If you're interested in performing at the next “Queerly Speaking”, contact Harold Steward at fahari.arts@gmail.com
Comments