Post 014: Post-2024
the we's that held me
I’m writing to you from the portal that is the last week of the year. It’s been quite the Gregorian, filled with the always-simultaneous pleasures and violences. It’s been a year of continued genocide, of re-elected fascism, of institutions succumbing to hierarchy, Zionism, and surveillance. It’s been a year of poetry readings and workshops, of art and exhibitions, of programs and parties. I spent time upstate and in Connecticut among trees and rode trains to Philly, DC, and Baltimore. I rode as many ferries as possible, had a micro-residency on a barge in Red Hook thanks to Poets Afloat, and even spent a night on a houseboat. I watched an eclipse at a cemetery. I wore masks of many colors and made weekly walks for testings, always greeted by a whiteboard troll. I was lucky to share moments with you, and with you.
I want to share some highlights from 2024:
I co-curated two exhibitions, to hold a we at BRIC and Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home at Bullet Space. I’m so proud of both shows and of the tender, expansive visions presented by all of the artists involved. Thank you to everyone that came by openings, closings, symposiums and readings, it was such a joy to share these shows and experience them together.
Some photos of the exhibition and opening at BRIC by Toby Tenenbaum (look at those masks!):
And some install photos I took at the Bullet Space on the last day:
I kept shooting on my beloved Kodak Ektar Half-frame:
Shot on a new Ilford Sprite 35-II in Maine:
And was gifted my dad’s old Pentax K-100
This summer, Em and I celebrated two years of exquisites! In 2024, we featured 66 poets, redistributed $7,125 in artist honorariums (thanks to Poets & Writers and Brooklyn Arts Council), and fundraised $1,320 for organizations and causes including Middle East Children’s Alliance, G.L.I.T.S, and Medical Aid for Palestinians. I continue to be so proud of the space we create together, and excited to be kicking off 2025 with a series of three free Zoom workshops starting this Thursday, January 2nd, guest facilitated by Chae(lee) Dalton. Join us!
I co-organized a year of the Long Poem Support Group with Ry, which was a monthly delight. The highlight for me was re-reading Laura’s Desires and having Laura join us on Zoom. I’m excited to share we’re continuing next year (with some very special guest-fascilitators), follow @longpoemsupportgroup for updates!
Most of my writing this year was for exhibitions, but I was happy to publish a long poem chaplet with Ghost City Press as part of their summer series, suggestion as suggestion as more profound or more interesting than the thing itself (or, july), and a feature on Jodie Landau for National Sawdust, “Of course, but also kind of not really.”
I listed to and DJ’d a lot of music. My favorite records were:
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
Remi Wolf, Big Ideas
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
Dua Lipa, Radical Optimism
Natalia Lafourcade, Live at Carnegie Hall
(I made a playlist of my top 24 songs here, and have started a new Instagram broadcast channel for my DJ sets, if you’d like to tune in.)
I made a resolution to watch more movies, and I did! My favorites:
Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
Fremont (2023)
Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music (2023)
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
Museum Hours (2012)
Lastly, this summer I stopped drinking and it has revealed itself to be such a clarifying gift. Shoutout to Minus Moonshine, where I now regularly stop by for tastings, a new beverage, or just a yap. (My favorite NA discoveries have been Tennyson, Ghia, Dromme, and Parenthesis—would recommend!)
Thank you for being in my orbit this year. Here’s to another.
With care,
d
P.S.: I want to shoutout a few more of the spaces that meant a lot of me this year—give them a follow and support their work if you can: A.I.R Collective (utilize their free purifier lending library for gatherings all all sizes!), No, Dear Magazine (look out for a chapbook series early next year I’m very excited about!), The People’s Saturday School, and The Poetry Project (see you virtually at the marathon tomorrow! )