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Nightswimming :: A 4-week generative lab w/ Lidia Yuknavitch and the Corporeal Squad — begins July 27th

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Nightswimming :: A 4-week generative lab w/ Lidia Yuknavitch and the Corporeal Squad — begins July 27th Nightswimming is a four-week generative lab offering a plunge into narrativity with the Corporeal Squad. Think of it as skinny dipping under the moon, only the water is your imagination and language. Each one-hour session will feature Lidia Yuknavitch in conversation with a member of the squad—Domi Shoemaker, Daniel Isaiah Elder, Katie Guinn, and Anya Pearson—and will include portals we can all write into together. You can sign up for individual sessions, or sign up for the whole bundle at a discount. Week One (7/27) — Domi Shoemaker :: Queer Up — Ever wonder how to mess with language just right, and make your ideas truly reflect what you…

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$99

Michael Pollan in Conversation With Dave Miller / TICKETED EVENT

Newmark Theatre 1111 SW Broadway Ave., Portland, OR, United States

From Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and How to Change Your Mind, comes a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants — and the equally powerful taboos. Of all the things humans rely on plants for — sustenance, beauty, medicine, fragrance, flavor, fiber — surely the most curious is our use of them to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Take coffee and tea: People around the world rely on caffeine to sharpen their minds. But we do not usually think of caffeine as a drug, or our daily use as an addiction, because it is legal and socially acceptable.…

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$28

Oregon Literary Fellowships Information Session

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Questions about applying to this year’s Oregon Literary Fellowships? Join us at this information session! Drop-in anytime between 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Register in advance for this meeting here. Please contact Susan Moore (susan@literary-arts.org) or Jessica Meza-Torres (jessica@literary-arts.org) if you have any questions.  

Free

Weekly Check-In: Getting the Work Done

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

This 8-week class is focused on holding yourself and your classmates accountable to your writing goals.  Each week, plan to share your work-in-progress with the group, set or revise goals for your weekly writing practice, and share successes and challenges with fellow writers. You’ll also learn strategies for keeping focused and staying on track. Occasional outside readings for discussion. This is not a workshop or feedback-based class. Worked shared will be about listening to each other’s voices and having a consistent deadline to meet on a weekly basis. All genres welcome. Access Program We want our writing classes and Delves to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program…

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$395

Reading: Gobshite

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Gobshite Quarterly is a multilingual literary magazine published in Portland.  A Gobshite event is guaranteed to please and delight.

Free

Creative Nonfiction II

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Creative nonfiction utilizes non-linear structures to “think” into complex or ambiguous subjects. In this class, we will explore the relationship between form and content in memoir, deepening our practice by working with a draft of a story or essay. Outside reading assignments and in-class writing and revision exercises will encourage experimentation and writing play. We will examine lyrical essays, braided forms and collage pieces. Writing prompts and drafting techniques will allow students to experiment with organization and voice, considering when silence works to make meaning. There will be scene writing and figurative language practice. Students will have an opportunity to discuss and workshop short excerpts of their drafts in an inspired, supportive setting. This class will build upon some of the topics covered in Creative Nonfiction…

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$245

Epitaph: Write a Memorial for Someone You Love with Lisa Loving

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

"Whatever stories in your community most need to be told, the best person to tell them is you." Join wordsmith and writing radical Lisa Loving for an hour of tips and chat about giving wings to grief, in the form of words. Rose City Book Pub is extremely thrilled to host Lisa Loving's second of three writing workshops: "Epitaph: Write a Memorial for Someone You Love." Bring a pen and paper, or be ready to voice dictate thoughts into your device of choice, and try crafting a tribute on the spot. Pack your hanky. Tickets are 25$ and include a copy of Street Journalist: Understand and Report the News in Your Community as well as a drink and some phenomenal shared appetizers. Get tickets here:…

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$25

Claude Johnson in Conversation With Keith Houlemard

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

From the introduction of the game of basketball to Black communities on a wide scale in 1904 to the racial integration of the NBA in 1950, dozens of African American teams were founded and flourished. This period, known as the Black Fives Era (teams at the time were often called “fives”), was a time of pioneering players and managers. They battled discrimination and marginalization and created culturally rich, socially meaningful events. But despite headline-making rivalries between big-city clubs, the savvy moves of innovative businessmen, and the undeniable talent of star players, this period is almost entirely unknown to basketball fans. Claude Johnson has made it his mission to change that. An advocate fiercely committed to our history, for more than two decades Johnson has conducted…

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Free

In-Store Reading: Karen Eva Carr

Annie Bloom's Books 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR, United States

Annie Bloom's welcomes Portland author Karen Eva Carr for a reading from her new book, Shifting Currents: A World History of Swimming. This in-store reading is first come, first served. Please be mindful of any store health policies that might be in effect on the night of the reading. Signed and personalized copies are available for pre-order! Please, please, please include the name for personalization in the order notes; all orders without a name specified in the order notes will be signed only. About Shifting Currents: A deep dive into the history of aquatics that exposes centuries-old tensions of race, gender, and power at the root of many contemporary swimming controversies. Shifting Currents is an original and comprehensive history of swimming. It examines the tension…

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Free

The Moth: StorySLAM: Happy

The Old Church Concert Hall 1422 SW 11th Ave, Portland, OR, United States

HAPPY: Prepare a five-minute story about smiles and sunshine. Think unbridled joy—landing the dream job, winning the talent show, or bowling a perfect game. The quest for your soul mate or for the perfect cup of coffee. The Midas touch. The good old days. Tales of finding happiness or letting it slip through your fingers. COVID Requirements: See The Old Church's COVID Policy for details. We will not be selling any tickets at the door. This venue is 16+ *Seating is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the show. Admission is not guaranteed for late arrivals. All sales final. Media Sponsors: OPB and Literary Arts

$15
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