For the second year in a row, I am joining forces with the ZZyZx Writers on the Poetrypalooza Tour! This year, we’ll be at DiPiazza’s on August 9th from 3:00-6:30. Hosted by Nathan Douglas, this event features many amazing talents such as Shy But Flyy, Richard Torres, Terry Wright, Fernando Gallegos, and musical guests Robby Ravenwood and the Fun House Porcupines. Come out for a fun filled afternoon, stay for some of the best pizza in town!
Tag: Fernando Gallegos
Louder Than Long Beach 3!!
On Saturday, April 11th, Long Beach will once again be taken over by the artistic mash-up that is Louder Than Long Beach. Music, poetry, and art will be dancing together at CALB on Pine Ave from 3-8 pm. Poetry magicians, Larry Duncan, Keayva Mitchell, Nancy Lynée Woo, and Kevin Ridgeway will be casting their spells along with a special dual reading by Raquel Reyes-Lopez and myself. Six bands and several artists, including Fernando Gallegos, will also be strutting their stuff. In addition, Lucid Moose Lit and Sadie Girl Press will have plenty of books to browse. The best part (like there needed to be a better reason) is that all of this is free! The Cultural Alliance of Long Beach (CALB) has the mission of bringing you incredible events like these for free, just to keep Long Beach the cultural bounty it is.
Like a Girl: The Pre-Show!
For the last several months, my poetry partners, Nancy Lynée Woo, Terry Wright, and I have been working on a project very near and dear to us, Like a Girl: Perspectives on Feminine Identity. This second anthology from Lucid Moose Lit received almost 800 submissions of poetry, prose, and art. We struggled to narrow that number down to an amount we can work with, so a grand alternative was found! We created a zine version, Like a Girl: The Pre-Show!, in time for release at the LA Zine Fest on February 15th. Debbie Cho, who helped inspire the project, joined us to help design and layout our precious creation. We are a proud family giving birth to a beautiful zine full of the words and art of many members of our community. I even have a little piece about those silly jelly shoes! You can pick up a special limited release version at the LA Zine Fest or other local events we will be participating in. Perfect bound editions will soon be available on Amazon and in local indie bookstores. To find the most recent information about this or other related projects, go to LucidMooseLit.com!
Power Of Words Open Mic
On February 5th, I get to read poetry with some of my favorite people at this really great venue, Manazar Gamboa Theater in Long Beach, hosted by Felicia Cade. The P.O.W. (Power of Words) Open Mic will have my two favorite things: poetry and music. I’m planning on a special set of poems for the month of love. You are all invited to come down and share a song or poem of your own. 1323 Gundry Ave. in Long Beach. Begins at 7 pm! Including performances by JL Martindale, Keayva Mitchell, Alex Hattick, Fernando Gallegos, and more!
The Unnamed Algorithm
In the spirit of Christmas, I decided to put together a new chapbook from many of the poems I had published in 2014 for my friends and family. The title comes from the first poem in the book, “Love Letter No. 1: To My Pit-Bull Self”. Most people don’t know how mathematically my mind actually operates. At the same time, I rely on my intuition daily. I do not see them as contradicting. I see it as an automatic calculated procedure, or algorithm, my brain carries out to make many decisions the same way we breathe without having to tell ourselves to breathe. I have grown to depend on this more and more as I have Life less and less planned out. The cover art, by the ridiculously talented Fernando Gallegos, is a spiral staircase which also has mathematical meaning and beauty.
It’s a small chapbook with only 28 pages. I have some limited edition copies with a vellum-layered cover available by special request or in person. The perfect bound, matte cover version will be available through the Sadie Girl Press website soon.
Louder Than Long Beach On November 15, 2014
Louder Than Long Beach is back and we get to join the fun! Saturday, November 15th, from 2-10 p.m., come to the Bungalow Building at 729 N. Pine Ave and spend the day full of music, art, and poetry. Nancy Lynée Woo and I will join our friend Fernando Gallegos and other Long Beach creatives bringing you lots of Long Beach goodness. You can get more details at the Facebook event page.
Video from night at TALB!
Last Friday night, I got to have a phenomenal evening with all of my favorite things: music, poetry, teachers, friends, family, and even my mom’s dog! Though not of these made the video (my mom and her dog are not featured), most of them are highlighted here on this amazing montage put together by the Teacher’s Association of Long Beach. Musicians Alex Hattick, Fernando Gallegos, Karlee and Bobby Cuff (AKA BobKat) perform songs, as well as play music to poetry for Nancy Lynée Woo and me. Watch the TALB video at this link!
Poetrypalooza August 10th, 2014
Some of my favorite people and I are joining in Southern California’s 4th Annual Poetrypalooza! On Sunday, August 10th, from 2:30-5:30 at DiPiazza’s on 5205 E. Pacific Coast Highway, there will be music, poetry, art, dancing, and an open mic!
Find more information and RSVP on Facebook!
Rock and Robin NaPoMo Poetry Party
April is National Poetry Month! Come out and celebrate poetry with an exciting night with dynamo readers Daniel McGinn, G. Murray Thomas, Raundi Kai Moore-Kondo, JL Martindale, Sarah Thursday, Nancy Lynée Woo, Fernando Gallegos, Larry Raymond Duncan, and Alan Passman. With special musical guests, a poetry writing workshop and an open mic! All this great stuff and it’s FREE!
Sarah Thursday 