I love nothing more than a good charcuterie board and, if it’s on the menu, I’ll always order the appetizer sampler. This is not (just) because I’m deeply indecisive, but because I’m a sucker for a curated grouping, a sampler, a tasting, a best-of, a set of delicious bites. This is, in a roundabout way, why I have shelves of anthologies in my library and why I’m writing to ask for your support on the third volume of the exquisites anthology series.
As you probably know, exquisites is a project that I lovingly co-organize with my friend Em Marie Kohl which centers queer poets. We started in 2022 with monthly readings featuring collectively-curated lineups every first Thursday (save the date for 3/7!). Last year, we expanded to community workshops (join us on Zoom on 2/24 for “embracing the frost”) and an anthology series, which serves as an archive of our constellation of collaborators.
Our readings have always both paid poets and raised funds for nonprofits (also nominated by readers) and we’ve been so grateful for such sustained community support of this DIY project.
To fund our third volume we have started our first Kickstarter Campaign which, as of this writing, has 15 backers! This fundraiser will allow us to pay a queer artist and riso printer, as well as cover material costs for interior printing costs. (Em and I donate nearly all our time and labor. This includes the administrative logistics, interior design, editing, and introduction writing we put into each of these anthologies.)
This anthology will feature readers from our September-December events last year, including the special launch of Mimi Tempestt’s “the delicacy of embracing spirals” at Brooklyn Art Haus. The contributors—which include Amy Berkowitz, Kay Gabriel, Dior J. Stephens, and Omotara James—span from Brooklyn to the Bay and represent another set of queer and trans poets writing some of the most tender, urgent work today.
Please consider supporting us to reach our $1,200 goal this month!
All donations starting at $5 get a personalized thank you postcard from us. Y’all know how much I love a postcard—this one is quite special and features art by Alexis Aceves Garcia.
Help us finish our first week strong by sharing and donating, if you can!
With care always,
d