Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Black Queer Poetics

Poet, essayist, and Black feminist Audre Lorde wrote that “...poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of the light within which we predicate our hopes and dreams toward survival and change, first made into language, then into idea, then into more tangible action.” This class will explore the poetry of Black LGBTQIA+ writers across time in ways that allow us to excavate our own truths and needs for change. Through the reading and writing of poetry, we will understand how creativity can support us in cultivating positive and radical transformation within ourselves and the world around us.

We will read and discuss works from Harlem Renaissance legends (such as Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen), writers from the Black Arts Movement (such as June Jordan and Alice Walker), as well as contemporary poets (such as Porsha Olayiwola, Jericho Brown, and more!). In addition to studying poetry and artists at the forefront of movements for liberation, participants will also generate their own material. This class is for all poets and writers interested in moving their writing beyond mere expression into liberatory ways of grappling with experiences of power, privilege, and oppression. Students will leave class with new and revised works.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.