Ide Thompson 10/30/20 Ide Thompson 10/30/20

A Triptych on My Queerness

Even after all these years

I still scared to say these words in public,

still caustous

to let Gay spilt my teeth open

moon 10/30/20 moon 10/30/20

being straight

being straight was like living in a closet

I didn’t know was a closet

some wealthy person’s closet

with enough room and variety

to convince me I wasn’t trapped

Nneka Nicholas 10/30/20 Nneka Nicholas 10/30/20

Forgiveness

As Shea sat in the pew listening to Father Lewis preach about forgiveness, her mind wandered back to the trial. Fr. Lewis was getting into the throes of the sermon and showed no signs of letting up any time soon. She allowed her thoughts to drift.

Javanna Cumberbatch 10/30/20 Javanna Cumberbatch 10/30/20

NESTED

My gratitude for your kindness was never expressed

For I was too young to be grateful

Too young to care, understand, or appreciate

You blessed three little girls of color

And valued their mother, a loyal worker for years

Andrea Paola Hernández 10/30/20 Andrea Paola Hernández 10/30/20

raíces

madre estas raíces no se pegan a nada

madre tu angustia no se quita con nada

Makistar 10/30/20 Makistar 10/30/20

Too LOUD

I spoke loud with my red dress on,

The one that had the split on the sides.

Yeah, that one.

Claudette Thompson 10/30/20 Claudette Thompson 10/30/20

Freedom

Basic freedom was denied

And daily I cried.

Labeled as the “weaker sex”

Taunted mercilessly. My soul grew vex.

Wretched. Worthless

An imbecile. Senseless.

Terri Ley 10/30/20 Terri Ley 10/30/20

Bra-less

I look up with my head high

Shoulders back

And a smile on my lips

Unafraid

Unashamed

Free

Akilah 10/30/20 Akilah 10/30/20

Un/furled

My doormmates whispered about “the lesbian book”. When I told my church youth group my mother had transferred me to an all girls boarding school the elder boys regaled everyone with tales about the lesbians there who used bottles as substitute dildos.

Per 10/30/20 Per 10/30/20

Fam Constellation - Me Kali

Everyone has to thrive in order for the system itself to thrive, every display of hate is only an unexpressed need to feel valid.

Sarah-Anne Gresham 10/30/20 Sarah-Anne Gresham 10/30/20

Generation Cry

Taitu Kai Goodwin. Taitu. Daughter of the Soil. Antigua Girls’ High School Alumna. Former Ambassador’s daughter. Miss Anguilla. Someone I knew. Taitu.

Willum 10/30/20 Willum 10/30/20

Ouroboros

Through all layers and fits it slithered

Though still I scrambled to look decent

David Simon 10/30/20 David Simon 10/30/20

Open Secrets

Since I last saw you I’ve been thinking. Thinking about you. Thinking about us, about home, about those kids whose journey mirrors yours and mine, A journey walking with fear.

Aaliyah De Mendonca 10/30/20 Aaliyah De Mendonca 10/30/20

The Weight of my Feminity

Heavy is the weight of my femininity,

But a weight I will bare until a change has come

Ade' Arthur 10/30/20 Ade' Arthur 10/30/20

Praying for her Nádleehi

She wanted the baby to be okay. Slowly the vision started and she knew, she knew the way that mothers’ know. She knew that this was her child, even though the person in her vision was not a baby, not even a small child, she knew that this was her baby and yes her child was beautiful.

Janielle Browne 10/30/20 Janielle Browne 10/30/20

To the men in my area

I’m tired of writing about this

I’m tired of writing this

I’m tired of being handed material

J’Anna-Mare Lue (劉家明) 10/30/20 J’Anna-Mare Lue (劉家明) 10/30/20

these burdens that I carry

everything destroyed in reverence of a new god, an unfamiliar god, they called him money. this god had power unlike any my people knew before, and to how my grandfather told it - it demanded servitude, offerings, and sacrifice like no other. It was an angry god.