Forthcoming Events & Presentations

Catharsis: An Inauguration Poetry Reading
Presented with on-off.site
Virtual
11am PST, Saturday 23 January, 2021

This week, like never before, we begin to dream anew. But before we can imagine what will be, we must look at what is. Join Poets Reading the News and on-off.site for Catharsis: An Inauguration Poetry Reading. We will process the enormity of the end of Donald Trump’s presidency and the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with poetry, guided exercises, and deep silence. Readings by henry 7. reneau, jr, Gary Margolis, Hyun-Joo Kim, and Susana Praver-Pérez will center us in this historic moment. Exercises by Stephanie Garcés and Stephanie Smith will provide intention, reflection, and action. Facilitation by J Spagnolo, Elle Aviv Newton, and Camilo Garzón will keep us present.
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Register here

New Orleans Poetry Festival 2020
New Orleans, Louisiana
April 2020

(Sur)Realpolitik: On Political Poetry in the Post-Truth Era

From Bertold Brecht to Allen Ginsburg, from Maya Angelou to Zoe Leonard, poetry has long been working the front lines of political critique. In this context poetry has functioned as deft analyses of power, songs of mourning, intimate dispatches on marginalized experiences, and rallying cries toward radical dreams. What role, then, does poetry play in today’s fiercely divided media landscape? How can this technology, one at once ancient and pioneering, help us to investigate contemporary crises and gain steadier ground in the fight toward an equitable world? And is it possible that through poetry’s insistence on the inner consequence of outward indifference, that it holds the key to surviving both? In this panel happening, join Poets Reading the News editor Elle Aviv Newton in conversation with three gifted poets -- acclaimed journalist Yvonne Daley, poet and Palette editor Kim Harvey, and poetry editor Michel Krug -- as we delve into 2020's surreal political landscape in order to investigate poetry's unique function of hope and truth-telling in uncertain times.

The COVID-19 shutdown has delayed this panel talk until 2021.

Illuminations Holiday Party
Royal Towers, San Francisco
15 December 2019

An evening of illuminated poetry installations, seasonal drinks and community in storied North Beach. 100% of proceeds directly benefit Poets Reading the News, the literary nonprofit dedicated to poetry on current events.

Poetry Reading
​San Francisco Public Library
5 November 2019

A reading presented by Poets Reading the News featuring local poets Alan Pelaez Lopez, Josiah Luis Alderete and Kim Harvey. Open mic to follow.

​Archive

PRESENTATIONS & LECTURES

2019
Poetry Strikes Back: A Panel Happening
Cal State University East Bay

Current Events, Digital Publishing & Social Change
Green Mountain Writers Conference
Chittenden, VT

2018
Journalism in Verse
Panel ft. J Todd Hawkins, J Spagnolo & Abigail Carl-Klassen
New Orleans Poetry Festival

Collabs, Communities and Collectives
Panel ft. Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, J Spagnolo & John Gosslee
New Orleans Poetry Festival

2017
Post-Truth Investigations
Curator talk + film screenings
​B4BEL4B Gallery
Oakland, CA

Believe the Hype: Journalists on Activism & Fake News
Panel with Kashmir Hill, Joe Viex & Susie Cagle 
B4bel4b Gallery
Oakland, CA

2016
Emergent Media Lab: Var Poetics = Functions
B4bel4b Gallery
Oakland, CA

WORKSHOPS

Writing Political Poetry
Green Mountain Writers Conference
Chittenden, VT

Create Against Complicity: A #MeToo Workshop
B4bel4b Gallery
Oakland, CA

Journalism in Verse
Inprint Houston
Houston, TX

The Poetics of Propaganda
B4bel4b Gallery
Oakland, CA

A Community Data Mining Workshop
B4bel4b Gallery
Oakland, CA

SELECT READINGS

Phoenix Bookstore
with Yvonne Daley & Caitlin Gildrien
Rutland, VT
August 2019

AWP x Poets Reading the News
Portland, Oregon
March 2019

​​The Waves Reading Series
with Alma Mathijsen, Megan McHugh & Sven Davisson
Antenna Gallery, New Orleans
April 2018

The Poetree of Life
with Jeffrey Cyphers Wright & J Spagnolo
New Orleans, LA
April 2018

Project Censored Book Launch
with J Spagnolo
​Petaluma, CA
December 2017

Beastcrawl Literary Festival
with Thea Matthews & Moira Roth
Oakland, CA
September 2017

TFW... Trump Gets Inaugurated
B4bel4b Gallery
​Oakland, CA
February 2017
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