Write The Vision

Last fall amid a panic attack and an episode of vertigo, I submitted an application to the Loft Literary Center to be considered for a 2017 Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship . The entire evening felt like riding a roller coaster with a sick stomach and it left me feeling as though the proposal was as terrible as the experience of getting my submission in.  To my utter amazement, the fellowship judges felt differently. My deep gratitude goes out to them ( Sham-e-Ali Nayeem , Danez Smith , and Marisa Carr ), as well as Bao Phi and all the folks at The Loft Literary Center that make this rare opportunity for spoken word artists possible. And what a privilege to be in the company of the other brilliant selected Fellows:  Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay , Diego Vazquez and Marcie Rendon , and #BlackTransMagick ( J Mase III & Vita E. ). My project is focused on: 1) learning from communities making poetry and art accessible to people who are D/deaf and hard of hearing; ...

Good news! Finishing Line Press is publishing my chapbook, Flare , and today it is Chapbook of the Day! It is my first published collection of poems and some of the most vulnerable poems I've put out into the world. Flare is about the body in all its mystery, wonder, and struggle. It's about my experiences of hearing loss, chronic pain, and making peace with a body that often seems intent on being my greatest enemy. The poems were born out of grief, grappling with my own ableist beliefs, and coming to a new understanding of what it really means to be capable. This book is a way for me to break silence about pre-existing conditions and invisible disability, something I imagine will be even more important to continue doing with our country's current political climate. I hope you'll consider welcoming Flare into your home. The book is available online now for pre-orders along with some very kind words describing it from Jennifer Bartlett, Danez Smith, and Sarah Brow...