In Honor of Audre Lorde and Pat Parker—featuring Judy Grahn, Jewelle Gomez, Avotcja, Arisa White, Leila Weefur, Angela Hume: November 5, 2020

The Poetry Center, in conjunction with the Poetry Coalition, presents one in a series of programs organized across the U.S. during 2020, around the shared topic of "Poetry and Protest." The program series takes its inspiration from these lines by the late Audre Lorde: “I am deliberate / and afraid / of nothing” (from her poem "New Year's Day").

This particular program takes its impetus from the fact of an historic reading by Lorde with her friend Pat Parker, that was organized by The Poetry Center and took place February 7, 1986 at The Women's Building in San Francisco, the renowned women-led community center. The program begins with video excerpts from that historic reading by Parker and Lorde, and was organized in recognition and support of the The Women's Building and their crucial services provided to women and girls. Introduced by emcee Tatiana Luboviski-Acosta, presenting in turn are: Judy Grahn, Jewelle Gomez, Avotcja, Arisa White, Leila Weefur, and Angela Hume. Each read letters they wrote for the event, in honor of the legacy, work, and relations that Parker and Lorde shared. The readings are followed by a conversation that includes interventions from the audience. 

The program was co-organized by The Poetry Center together with Jordan Stein, at Kadist, San Francisco, in consultation with participating writers and with the staff at The Women's Building. Thanks to Kadist for publishing a program mailed to online audience members reproducing the letters written by the program participants.