LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.
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Wordlights Poetry ft. Maryam Gabriel-Imam
February 22, 2020 @ 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
FreeWordlights Saturday poetry evenings are presented by NovaPDX & Rocking Frog Cafe and curated by Portland poet Igor Brezhnev.
On Saturday, February 22nd, we’ll have a feature from Maryam Gabriel-Imam and a long set poetry open mic! This show is hosted by Allegra White!
OUR FEATURE: Maryam Gabriel-Imam
Maryam Gabriel-Imam (pronouns they/she) is an Egyptian poet, scholar, singer-songwriter, translator, disabled performer, and tenderqueer caterpillar. They hold a masters in Middle Eastern Studies from the City University of New York, and they currently teach History at Rosemary Anderson High in Portland, OR. They are also the up-and-coming bilingual drag performer and activist, Baba Yusef. Maryam/Baba is currently working on mixed-media poetry performances incorporating live music, drag and spoken word, breaking the boundaries of who gets to participate as artist or audience. Their current focus includes writing about home as absence, land as space that speaks, solidarities and community lovemaking, and interrogating while reshaping what it means to heal as a postcolonial body. Maryam is also working on their/her first and forthcoming chapbook, Pynk Volvo Blue Apocalypse (2020).
YOUR HOST: Allegra White
Allegra White is a writer based in Portland, Oregon. Allegra’s chapbook of poetry On The Backs Of Product Request Forms (2019) explores themes of escapism and humor in the mundane. Her full length poetry collection will be released in 2020 by Lightship Press. She studied English Literature at Cal State Northridge and is an avid rock climber. She currently paints billboards in Portland for work and writes and climbs in her free time. You can get Allegra’s chapbook at www.allegrawhite.com.
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Sign-ups start at 5:30, show starts at 6PM. On first and third Saturdays each performer in the open mic gets 7 minutes, there are only 8 slots available and the list order is randomized.
Come share your words and join us for a night of open mic, great poetry features and get nourishment & libations from Rocking Frog Cafe (home of the best donuts)! 🙂
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Rocking Frog Cafe is an independently run, local gem in the lower Belmont District of southeast Portland. Nestled in a lovely early-century Craftsman-style bungalow, we offer a comfortable place to study, eat and socialize. Find out more about The Rocking Frog at rockingfrogpdx.com.
NovaPDX is a talent and production company based in Portland, Oregon. We organize and host performance and educational events, showcasing local and visiting musicians, poets and comedians. Our mission is to create spaces where talent thrives. Learn more about us at novapdx.org.
Your host, Igor Brezhnev is a poet, an author, an artist and a book designer among his other sins. He is roaming the West Coast thinking up new art, books and helping shape creative projects. You can find out more about Igor at igorbrezhnev.com