Blog :

[Description: a brown round #boi sits with #floral patterned collared shirt & blazer near a #mic & mic stand. Behind them are an ASL interpreter & a black #cane.] #TBT to my performance at #depauluniversity last week with a packed house of #chitown peoples. Very Social thanks to @depaul_inclusion, LGBT Studies, & the English Dept. for their energy & generosity. | “A home filled with nothing but yourself. It’s heavy, that lightness. It’s crushing, that emptiness.” — Margaret Atwood.
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[Description: a brown round boi with glasses is being hugged by an older brown woman with glasses with a stripe vest. They are in a beautifully opulent #restaurant with #thai art, wood carvings.] This is cook & owner, Sue. She with her two sisters have had their restaurant #PSBangkok in the north side of Chicago for over 20+ years. In a world where every building has changed, every storefront switched awnings, they remain cooking food recipes from their homeland & childhood with integrity & poise. She’s seen me as an awkward gay teen, a bandana dawning dyke, & the #gendernonconforming trans person I am today. She says, “Finish this… Eat this with this sauce.. Button up your coat, it’s cold outside.” Sue looks down as she clenches my hands after I’ve eaten, “I’m not sure when my sisters and I will go back home, if we can afford to go at all. But it’s time.” We both hold a still pause. She’s also one of the rare people who talk with me about my mama and actually knew her. She’s my chosen fam auntie and we talk about old Chicago every chance we get. My belly and heart are so full! 

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[Description: a series of books in the women’s & gender studies section at my Chicago fave bookstore.] Captive Genders, Exile & Pride, Whipping Girl.
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[Description: a group of people ranging in gender, size, race, age, ability, pose for a selfie in front of a brick wall. They look marvelous.] Title: The bestest. Food & caring company. With the mentors, their child Cece, and family. My poetry, work, activism wouldn’t be anything without the people in this photo. I’ve grown from lovely powerful roots. When I was 17 & queer teeny & poor & needed support, the women in this photo helped educate & nourish me into the adult I’ve become. Every stanza & talk I give, comes from their lasting imprint. Thinking of you @doctressstory & @krisclemonsphd, how we got to grow politically with such love. 
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[Description: fried chicken wings & kimchi fries from Del Seoul.]