Sun 4/27 @ 6:30pm
On the 4th Sunday of each month, when She Speaks, we listen.
WOMYN: A Night of Poetry and Sisterhood is a new monthly collaboration between local feminist collective She Speaks and Ohio City’s Guide to Kulchur bookstore – founded by local artist, writer and musician RA Washington and his proud feminist wife (and professor at CWRU Cleveland State), Liz Bly, PhD.
“GTK is interested in creating safe space, with accountable communities being a major part of that. I don’t see any other way to be,” says Guide to Kulchur’s co-founder RA Washington. “Simply because progressive communities are often still bastions of misogyny. Patriarchal privilege exists and this is one way to inform and challenge the community to be more aware and to grow.”
WOMYN is free and open to the public (BYOB). Men are encouraged to attend in support, but not participate. Each event begins with an open mic opportunity, followed by featured speakers. This month’s event features Carly Haufe, Kate Sopko and She Speaks’ founder Shelly Gracon.
Carly Haufe is currently a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University, studying Philosophy and Literature. Kate Sopko is a local author and artist – working in collage, installations and social experiments. She is also an urban farmer and board member of Green Triangle, Cleveland’s permaculture education group. Shelly Gracon founded She Speaks in 2010. Since then, she has continued to work hard as an advocate, community organizer and poet.
“Female poets, writers and creators need a safe space to present their work which can often times be of very personal and intimate nature,” explains Gracon. “When a poetry community is being represented almost entirely by the male voice, you have to step up and figure out a way for women to feel heard, supported and empowered. WOMYN is an event that will provide the much-needed space where women are front and center and various issues surrounding gender and equality can be addressed. This event is open to men, but only in support of our work.”
Following the event, a free-form open forum will be held for women only. This month’s topic is Gender Violence in the Creative Community. Stop by GTK to hear this important message from these special members of our community.
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.