Experience the transformative power of four trans and nonbinary poets in a poignant reading of debut poetry collections. Amid rising anti-trans legislation and violence, these writers navigate the complexities of identity, resilience, and self-discovery. With vulnerability and strength, their diverse voices challenge societal norms and inspire change. Join us to celebrate and amplify marginalized perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding in a time when existence itself is a radical act.

Participants:

Sebastian Merrill is the author of GHOST :: SEEDS, the winner of the 2022 Levis Prize for Poetry from Friends of Writers, a member of the inaugural Get the Word Out poetry cohort from Poets & Writers, a Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Staff Scholar, and a Warren Wilson MFA Alumni Residency Fellow.

Jennifer Conlon is from North Carolina and teaches at Arizona State University. Their poems have been published by Bayou Magazine, Juked, Bennington Review, DIALOGIST, Threadcount, and elsewhere. They won the 2022 Autumn House Poetry Prize, selected by Carl Phillips. Taking to Water is their first book.

Tennison S. Black is the author of Survival Strategies (UGA Press, 2023), selected as a winner of the National Poetry Series. They are the managing editor at Sundress Publications and also at Best of the Net.

jason b. crawford (They/Them) was born in Washington DC and raised in Lansing, Michigan. Their full-length debut Year of the Unicorn Kidz is out from Sundress Publications. They are currently an MFA Candidate at New School in Poetry.