Issue 13: Highlights from my reading, and updates on your order!
Are you still waiting on your chapbook to arrive? You’re not alone!
Hello, wonderful & sweet Strawberries–
I’m coming to you from a very smoky and eerie New York City. Here’s how to stay healthy and safe amid the haze, and how you can fight the climate crisis with the Sunrise Movement.
CHAPBOOK UPDATE: Many of you have mentioned you’re still awaiting your chapbook…even if you ordered up to six weeks(!!!) ago! Massive thanks for your patience, and my sincere apologies for the delay! I’ve been relentlessly following up for answers on this apparent shipping issue and have JUST heard that all outstanding orders should be sent out this week. If you don’t receive your copy (or some kind of shipping update) by early next week, please let me know! You also have my PERSONAL GUARANTEE that it will be worth the wait!
1. Poetry: A Magical & Moving Night At The Miss Manhattan Non-Fiction Reading Series
As Frankie Valli said, “Oh what a night!” Monday’s reading at Miss Manhattan was truly incredible. Folks from all corners and chapters of my life brought so much love and support and enthusiasm (and their friends!), very literally packing the house to the point where they had to bring in extra chairs. After spending so much time making this chapbook, it was a true pleasure and privilege to share the work with my friends and community in person.
Much thanks to my friend Ani Simon-Kennedy (who also has a fantastic Substack!) for recording!
My fellow readers, Michael Schulman and Kyle Turner, were fabulous as was our esteemed host, Miss Manhattan aka Elyssa Maxx Goodman, author of the forthcoming Glitter And Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City.
The highlight of the evening: Back in May 2020, during lockdown, I read at a Miss Manhattan virtual reading. One of the other readers was Abeer Hoque, a stellar essayist and poet. Afterwards, I emailed Abeer to say how much I enjoyed her piece and that I was eager to read her poetry as well. “You’re a poet, too!” Abeer responded. Until then, I’d never identified as a poet. That moment – along with Abeer’s ongoing friendship and mentorship that began that day — were instrumental to my poetry journey and to the making of my chapbook. At Monday’s reading – which was almost three years to the day after the virtual reading – I met Abeer for the first time in person.
Thank you so much again to everyone who came out and to everyone, near and far, who continues to support me and my work. I love and appreciate you deeply.
2. Client Work: Website for J L Terrell
J L Terrell, a Black-owned, community-based general contractor in DC needed to revamp its website to match its industry-leading services. I was hired by Captiva Branding to translate the company’s experience and personality into an engaging, dynamic website to drive new business. Mission accomplished!
3. Miscellaneous Recommendations!
Song: “Bless The Telephone” by Labi Siffre, a queer love song (happy Pride!) that’s so gorgeous I’ve listened to it 1,000 times on repeat. (Big shouts to friend, Strawberry, and Sternal Journalist Julian Stern for putting me onto this one.)
Podcast: “The Trojan Horse Affair”: A strange anonymous letter appears on an English legislator’s desk, laying out an elaborate plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate the country’s schools. Making its way up the ranks, the letter—and the plot it outlines, Operation Trojan Horse—ends careers, changes the education system, and causes the country to beef up its counterterrorism policy…but was it all a hoax in the first place?
Article: “The Covert Mission To Solve A Mexican Journalist’s Murder” (The New Yorker) about the secret international group of journalists banding together and risking their lives to seek justice for a murdered reporter. (Thanks once again to friend and Strawberry Adam for sharing his back copies with me.)
That’s all!
With love and thanks and clear skies on the horizon,
Ben
❤️ a fine chapbook, an even finer chap ❤️