why writing residencies?
aka I got into one! plus the regularly scheduled links and opportunities
Do you ever think about the bodily impact of writing?
I’ll start with the good news up top before returning to that: I got into the first in-person Roots Wounds Words retreat! I had a life-changing experience in the virtual nonfiction workshop with Marcelo Hernandez Castillo last year— I’ll be attending this one as a writer in residence!
Of course, my immediate reaction included happy tears, excitement, and relief that my book— 70 messy af pages— is something other people see merit in.
My second reaction was dread. Is/was it all in my head? Am I torturing myself with the past on purpose?
The important thing, which I learned from my last RWW experience and from ever-encouraging writing friends, is to consider who benefits from you staying silent. In the case of my book, abusers and institutions benefit from silence, always.
I’ve landed on the reaction of gratitude. Gratitude to the friends who got me through the experiences in the book, gratitude to RWW and my 2023 cohort, gratitude to anyone who has ever helped me crowdfund or bought one of my zines or hired me to edit something. It’s proof that my— our— stories make a difference.
So, do you ever think about the bodily impact of writing? I spent a really long time, for various reasons, moving through life as though my brain and my body were two entirely different things. To my horror, when I started writing the book, I found out that the two are very much connected!
Last summer, I couldn’t not write about what I’d gone through. I was discovering what happened to me through writing disjointed memories. Only in piecing together these memories did I realize, oh, this was not okay. The 18 year old on the page is uncomfortable,1 and now the 25 year old controlling the page is uncomfortable. Maybe retraumatized is a better word. Or maybe confused.
All that to say, I’ve almost quit writing this thing so many times. So, so, so many times. This RWW residency is space I, my body, can’t wait to have— a radical space where I can actually do what I need to do: write.
Here is the only excerpt I’ve ever shared publicly:
You may have seen in my limited social media presence that I am crowdfunding the costs of attendance. If every trans poetica reader donated $7, I would be all the way funded! I know there is no shortage of people and causes also needing funds right now, so if you would like to support my writing endeavors, I ask that you first check out the Solidarity with Palestine section of the newsletter and support your local mutual aid efforts.
That said, let’s get into the regularly scheduled links, opportunities, and more.
Solidarity with Palestine:
the president of the usa is still defending genocide. did you know the white house takes phone calls every tuesday and thursday? let them know how you feel about biden’s complicitness in genocide
on that note keep calling your reps
USCPR is a great resource for getting started, finding in person actions, and more
Check out the BDS site for up to date info on boycotting
Check out Voices in Solidarity with the People of Gaza, an anthology of work from Muslim writers with half the proceeds going to Gaza
Don’t stop talking about Palestine, don’t stop showing up in any way you can. Don’t stop holding those who are silent in the face of genocide accountable. Local organizing especially is where tangible change can happen.
Writing, Art, & Grant Opportunities:
We are currently considering original manuscripts of fiction and non-fiction (including works-in-progress). We are also considering reprint proposals of literary/historical works of significance by transgender authors.
Printed Matter is seeking artists books, zines, etc on Decolonization, Resistance & Solidarity
Room Magazine - Humor issue - open to all genres by folks of marginalized genders - closes when submission cap is reached
Pigeon Pages fiction contest - no fee period for BIPOC - closes TOMORROW 5/22
Midwest Award For Artists With Disabilities - $3,000 for disabled Midwestern visual artists - closes 5/23
Orion Magazine - Queer Ecology issue - pitches on stories about food - closes 5/25
GrubStreet Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers - $25,000, artistic mentorship, & access to the GrubStreet community - closes 5/30
Twin Cities Collage Collective Materials Scholarship - closes 5/31
3d Space by RWW - non-academic literary arts offering that provides semester-long craft instruction, mentorship, and support to BIPOC writers ready to engage in a rigorous, creative, and care-centered writing program - closes 6/2
Poet Lore - Ekphrasis issue - closes 6/5
Illuminated Ink: Free LGBTQ Writing Course in Sydney, AU with Orlando Silver - application closes 6/11
Underblong - issue 8 poetry submissions - closes 6/15
Point of Pride HRT Access Fund - closes 6/30
Illuminations Grant - $10,000 for self-identified Black trans women working in visual art in the united states - closes 6/30
Robert Giard Grant - $10,000 to support the creation of new work by emerging LGBTQ+ photographers - closes 6/30
River River Books - open to full-length poetry collections, pay-what-you-can - closes 6/30
Sinister Wisdom - Mad Dykes, Queer Worlds - closes 6/30
- Reading Internship Program - closes 6/30
Diode Editions - Full-length & Chapbook contests - closes 7/15
Coffin Bell - Queer, Feminist, & BIPOC Gothic issue - closes 7/31
ANMLY - open to all genres - 8/1
Annulet Editions - full-length poetry, prose, and literary criticism manuscripts - closes 9/15
Chiara Di Lello & Emily Stoddard have compiled a list of upcoming deadlines from publishers in solidarity with Palestine
From around the internet:
“Forgotten Keepers of the Rio Grande Delta” by Dylan Baddour in Texas Observer— if you want to know more about the Indigenous history of Texas, or care at all about environmental issues, I highly recommend this piece
“Last Month at Columbia” by Deeva Gupta in n+1
The new issue of Split Lip Magazine is out!
and the new issue of manywor(l)ds— I’m obsessed with “Reflections on my untimely death after watching Barbie” by Gaby Benitez and “I Turn Off My Phone For Self-Care But History Keeps Happening” by Evelyn Berry
aaaand the new issue of beestung! I haven’t finished the whole issue, but I adore “Scorched” by Eros Livieratos (thank you Cat for sending me this)
The ONLY POEMS newsletter excerpted their interview with Timi Sanni on the political nature of poetry
I always love
’s writing— “'Cuckoo' — A Boring Body Horror Undeserving of Hunter Schafer's Talent” is such a good reviewTo continue shouting out newsletters here I love, check out “Witnessing the War on Words in Journalism” by
New & upcoming books:
Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding by Maia Kobabe and Sarah Peitzmeier2 came out a couple weeks ago
Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins comes out in a week!!
What I’ve been up to:
Boston was cold, and I met a ton of folks who put the rad in comrade, including someone who was part of the 1968 Columbia demonstrations. Solidarity runs deep, don’t ever forget that
I’ll be reading for the Poets in Pajamas virtual reading series with Joshua Garcia this Sunday, May 26th at 6pm CST. Would love to see y’all there!
Last week, I published part of my conversation with
about their forthcoming novel, Failure to ComplyMentally preparing for my residency in September!
This felt like a long one. Thank y’all for being here.
<3
Thanks for reading this far down! Trans poetica will always be free, but donations are greatly appreciated! I have three pay-what-you-want zines available here (and a new one coming soon!) I am available for editing, readings, workshops, and more after June through my site.
If you have an opportunity for trans, BIPOC, disabled, otherwise marginalized writers or artists you’d like me to include, please let me know. If I’m platforming an institution that is doing wrong by our communities, please let me know that, too.
to put it mildly!
imagine if this book existed 10 years ago!!
always love your newsletter! and tysm for the shoutout <3