Makeda School fro Art, Media & Humanities +
the Other Countries Collective
Other Countries: Winter Solstice Gathering of Prose & Poetry
Greetings Friends & Beloved Community!
Makeda School for Art, Media and Humanities and the Other Countries collective invite you to Other Countries: Winter Solstice Gathering of Prose & Poetry at the Gene Frankel Theatre on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 from 6:30-8:30pm. This program reconvenes the Other Countries: Black Gay Voices Virtual Seminar offered by Makeda School in summer 2022 along with current and past members of the Other Countries collective. The program features readings from Other Countries: Black Gay Voices, Volume I (1988) and Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of AIDS (1993) as well as contemporary material from Black, queer writers.
This gathering seeks to honor the members of Other Countries who have passed away and to introduce new generations to the power of the literary mark made by these important publications and contributions of the organization to black, queer writing. Attendees should feel free to bring in their own work and/or that of a favorite queer, Black writer to share in an intimate circle gathering. A sign-up sheet will be made available for those who’d like to read. Other Countries: Black Gay Men Writing was founded in 1986 by Daniel Garrett as a weekly writing workshop that met at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in New York's Greenwich Village. It was launched with the purpose to develop, promote, and cultivate literary, cultural, and social endeavors and pursuits relevant to the experience of black gay men. These goals were achieved through publishing, live performances, guided writing and educational workshops, and outreach to underserved communities.
In the late 1980s, Other Countries began hosting open readings coinciding with the June summer solstice and the December winter solstice, two times of the year that have significance in many cultures across the globe. At these events and others, members of the collective read works in progress, published work, featured readers such as Pamela Sneed, Essex Hemphill, and Sapphire were highlighted, and the general public had an opportunity to share work.
In addition to the group’s anthologies, Black Gay Voices, and Sojourner, Other Countries collaborated with RedBone Press in 2007 to publish Voices Rising: 20 Years of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Writing. Other Countries also had a performance program that presented works based on material developed in the writing workshop at college campuses, museums, dance clubs and other public venues. The name of the group was inspired by James Baldwin’s novel Another Country. The collective is also known as "Other Countries: Black Gay Expression."
Event Location:
Gene Frankel Theatre 24 Bond Street
New York, NY 10012
Doors Open: 6:00pm Program: 6:30-8:30pm
The program is free to attend. Masks are required. Seating is limited! Please RSVP to [email protected].
Makeda School for Art, Media, and Humanities offers high-quality and unique online classes, workshops, screenings, seminars, teach-ins, and special events for diverse audiences to explore media-making, art, humanities, and storytelling in a supportive and inclusive virtual environment.
Makeda School for Art, Media and Humanities and the Other Countries collective invite you to Other Countries: Winter Solstice Gathering of Prose & Poetry at the Gene Frankel Theatre on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 from 6:30-8:30pm. This program reconvenes the Other Countries: Black Gay Voices Virtual Seminar offered by Makeda School in summer 2022 along with current and past members of the Other Countries collective. The program features readings from Other Countries: Black Gay Voices, Volume I (1988) and Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of AIDS (1993) as well as contemporary material from Black, queer writers.
This gathering seeks to honor the members of Other Countries who have passed away and to introduce new generations to the power of the literary mark made by these important publications and contributions of the organization to black, queer writing. Attendees should feel free to bring in their own work and/or that of a favorite queer, Black writer to share in an intimate circle gathering. A sign-up sheet will be made available for those who’d like to read. Other Countries: Black Gay Men Writing was founded in 1986 by Daniel Garrett as a weekly writing workshop that met at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in New York's Greenwich Village. It was launched with the purpose to develop, promote, and cultivate literary, cultural, and social endeavors and pursuits relevant to the experience of black gay men. These goals were achieved through publishing, live performances, guided writing and educational workshops, and outreach to underserved communities.
In the late 1980s, Other Countries began hosting open readings coinciding with the June summer solstice and the December winter solstice, two times of the year that have significance in many cultures across the globe. At these events and others, members of the collective read works in progress, published work, featured readers such as Pamela Sneed, Essex Hemphill, and Sapphire were highlighted, and the general public had an opportunity to share work.
In addition to the group’s anthologies, Black Gay Voices, and Sojourner, Other Countries collaborated with RedBone Press in 2007 to publish Voices Rising: 20 Years of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Writing. Other Countries also had a performance program that presented works based on material developed in the writing workshop at college campuses, museums, dance clubs and other public venues. The name of the group was inspired by James Baldwin’s novel Another Country. The collective is also known as "Other Countries: Black Gay Expression."
Event Location:
Gene Frankel Theatre 24 Bond Street
New York, NY 10012
Doors Open: 6:00pm Program: 6:30-8:30pm
The program is free to attend. Masks are required. Seating is limited! Please RSVP to [email protected].
Makeda School for Art, Media, and Humanities offers high-quality and unique online classes, workshops, screenings, seminars, teach-ins, and special events for diverse audiences to explore media-making, art, humanities, and storytelling in a supportive and inclusive virtual environment.