LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.

For details regarding specific events please contact the organizers or venues. If you are an organizer or venue and would like to reach out to us please feel free to contact us or submit an event using our submission form. We’d love to hear from you!

Seeds of Resistance: The Fight to Save Our Food Supply

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

Ten thousand years after humans figured out how to stop wandering and plant crops, veteran investigative journalist Mark Schapiro plunges into the struggle already underway for control of seeds, the ground-zero ingredient for our food. Three-quarters of the seed varieties on Earth in 1900 had become extinct by 2015. In Seeds of Resistance (Hot Books), Schapiro takes us onto the frontlines of a struggle over the seeds that remain, one that will determine the long-term security of our food supply in the face of unprecedented climate volatility. Schapiro reveals how more than half of all commercially traded seeds have fallen under the control of just three multinational agrichemical companies. At just the time when scientists tell us we need a spectrum of options to respond…

Free

Tender Table: Marlow Jay, Mia Reiko Braverman, Sahar Yarjani

Nelson Cash 4243 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR, United States

Tender Table seeks out stories from women, trans men, and nonbinary folks who are black, indigenous, or people of color about traditions around food, the restaurant industry, food’s impact on the body and body image, and everything in between our sweet, savory, sour, bitter relationships to food. Please join us for stories and food by: -Marlow Jay -Mia Reiko Braverman -Sahar Yarjani Muranovic A $10-15 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you can't make it but want to donate, we accept donations via Venmo (@tendertablepdx). Nelson Cash has graciously agreed to host us; the space is located right next to Never Coffee on Belmont street.

$10 – $15

Cookbook Club

Books Around the Corner 40 NW 2nd Street, Gresham, OR, United States

Join us for a cozy winter meeting of the Cookbook Club on Wednesday, February 20 at 7:00pm. Books Around the Corner and foodie and amateur chef, Stephanie Rose, will host an evening of good food and conversation. This is a potluck-style event with every attendee choosing a recipe from the cookbook to share with the group. The event is limited to 12 participants and purchase of the cookbook at Books Around the Corner confirms your place on the list. After the event is full we will form a waitlist. If you have any questions please email us. We will be cooking out of Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering ($29.99) by Joanna Gaines. Order your copy today! Magnolia Table is infused with Joanna…

Free

Mary Oliver Open Mic Poetry Reading

Mother Foucault's Bookshop 523 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR, United States

In memory of the late poet Mary Oliver, all are invited to gather for an open mic reading of her poetry. Come with a poem or two to read aloud, or simply come to listen. Locally-sourced lovingly-prepared food will be provided by Elbows Catering. Donations will be accepted to cover food cost and in honor of Oliver’s connection to nature, all excess donations will be passed on to SOLVE – a local organization which brings people together to care for our natural spaces.

Free

Tender Table: Jewels, Leo Ariel, Janessa Bautista

Art Haus 8155 NE Oregon St, Portland, OR, United States

Tender Table seeks out stories from women, trans men, and non-binary folks who are black, indigenous, or people of color about traditions around food, the restaurant industry, food’s impact on the body and body image, and everything in between our sweet, savory, sour, bitter relationships to food. February 24 marks Tender Table’s 2 year anniversary! Please join us for stories and food by: -Jewels -Leo Ariel -Janessa Bautista A $10-15 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. This is not a ticketed event; all are welcome. If you can't make it but want to donate, we accept donations via Venmo (@tendertablepdx). Funds raised are given directly to presenters. The De-Cannon Library at Milepost 5 has graciously agreed to…

$10 – $15

Claudia Lucero in Conversation With Heidi Lovig and Tressa Yellig

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

From traditional cheesemaker Claudia Lucero comes more than 30 dairy-free cheese recipes made from easy-to-find ingredients that deliver maximum flavor and rich, creamy textures. One-Hour Dairy-Free Cheese (Workman) shows how to make plant-based cheeses using your choice of seeds, nuts, and vegetables. Lucero will be joined in conversation by Heidi Lovig, CEO and cofounder of Heidi Ho Organics, and Tressa Yellig, founder of Salt, Fire & Time and CEO of Wild Heart Solutions.

Free

The Power of Words

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

Join us for readings from our book, Mirrors and Closets: The Complex Journey of LGBTQ Twins & Their Siblings. *Enjoy supporting local business? *Love perusing & reading old books? *Jazzed about nibbling on plant-based foods? *Appreciate drinking Pacific Northwest beers & locally-inspired libations? Rose City Book Pub will be crafting a special dish featuring local company Cultivating Kindness' aged vegan cheeses! Come listen, kibbitz and snack with us and learn a bit more about our book project on LGBTQ twins and their siblings. A percentage of proceeds from this special featured dish and of book sales will benefit Green Acres Farm Sanctuary, our local NPO spotlight!

Free

Sobrang OPM! Original Pilipinx Merienda of Filipino Food & Writers

Tryst Bar 19 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland, OR, United States

Sobra means extra / Filipinx anywhere together is extra af! An almost-midnight merienda party of Filipinx writers. Food! Karaoke! Open Mic! Free door admission. Socialize over cocktails and mocktails. Filipino menu specials include lumpia, sisig burgers, adobo chicken fried rice. Gratitude Open Mic where readers share favorite Filipinx writers. Emceed by Pamela K. Santos, featuring writers from Bitter Melon Collective, Roseminda Nabehet and Lilian Ongelungel, guests Asa Drake, and beats by Nathaniel Jams. More TBA. See http://bartryst.com/ for vegetarian options; accepts cash or card. Contact: Pamela K. Santos

Free

Tender Table: Food & Storytelling by Diana Khoi Nguyen, Ashley Toliver, & Amy Lam

Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) 511 Northwest Broadway St, Portland, OR, United States

Tender Table is a storytelling platform for women, trans men, and nonbinary folks who are black, indigenous, or people of color. We seek out narratives about the sweet, savory, sour, and bitter relationships to food and its connections to identity, memory, and community. At Tender Table, all are welcome—expect to be immersed in stories, and sample delicious food prepared by the speakers. Diana Khoi Nguyen is the author of Ghost Of (Omnidawn). Ashley Toliver is the author of Spectra (Coffee House Press). Amy Lam is the John & Renee Grisham fellow at the University of Mississippi. Contact: Stacey Tran

$10 – $15

Center Justify: An Offsite Extravaganza

PSU Native American Student and Community Center 710 SW Jackson St, Portland, OR, United States

Come join us for readings, performances, food (dinner will be served!), camaraderie, and more. This event is co-sponsored by The Accomplices (Civil Coping Mechanisms, Entropy, Writ Large Press), De-Canon: A Visibility Project, Whitenoise Project, Asian American Writers' Workshop, Indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University, and The Operating System. Contact: Janice Lee CENTER JUSTIFY: An #AWP19 OFFSITE EXTRAVAGANZA Come join us for readings, performances, food (dinner will be served!), camaraderie, and more. This event is co-sponsored by: - The Accomplices (Civil Coping Mechanisms, Entropy, Writ Large Press) - De-Canon: A Visibility Project - Whitenoise Project - Asian American Writers' Workshop - Indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University - The Operating System More details, including additional readers and a detailed hourly schedule are coming soon!…

Free