BackFence Storytelling: Am I the Villain?
XRAY.fm, Portland Mercury & Powell's Books present
BACKFENCE Mixed Media Storytelling — Am I the Villain?
Stories will be shared in all manner of forms: the OG straight up way, a choral format, through visuals, poetry, musical accompaniment, and video shorts!
Hosted by FRAYN MASTERS
Music by CHAACH!!!
PERFORMANCES by:
Host of You’re Wrong About podcast: SARAH MARSHALL
Adman, Moth Host, Author of Me and My Family and Me: ANDREW DICKSON
Poet laureate of crushes: JENNA FLETCHER
TV/ Film Actress, VO Artist, Basketball Mom: OCTOBER MOORE
Creative currently stuck in Portland: BRI McKIZZIE
Creator of solo show Aberdeen, Frontman of Lost Lander: MATT SHEEHY
High school science teacher: DARSHANPREET GILL

Power Tools: a live storytelling event
Power Tools is a community storytelling event exploring the ins and outs, mistakes, fears, and challenges of learning new skills -- especially ones related to building, fixing, and surviving. So often excluded from these categories of skills, both as amateurs and professionals, women and queer folks get the chance to step on stage and share their experiences with learning, practicing, failing, overcoming, and sometimes mastering (if you’re into that), the “hard skills” of life.
For our first event, three storytellers respond to the theme: ORIGINS. Hear about the experiences that lit their desire (or need) to build their skills and what happened when they finally got the ball rolling.
Our storytellers:
Jenna Fletcher (she/her) | @hi_jenna
Chelsea Taylor (she/they) l @che_t400
La Toya A. Hampton (she/they) | @thepoetladyrose
* Doors at 7, show starts at 7:30pm
* $5-$15 sliding scale
* Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.

Backfence Storytelling: Meet Cute
We’re closing down the Pearl Room at Powell’s to bring you a private mixed media storytelling show based on the theme MEET CUTE!
Hosted by yours Frayn Masters & GRANT GOSCH
You’ll get to witness stellar Portlander's tell funny, sweet, titillting stories, some with music, slides, poetry, and lil videos!
Here are your MEET CUTE storytellers!
SECRETS: Nishat Akhtar + Friends
Join us for an evening of storytelling and art at FISK, located on Northeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in Portland, OR. This is an intimate event, ticketed and seated. Limited edition prints by Nishat Akhtar will be available for purchase. Storytelling starts promptly at 7:30pm. All proceeds go to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund ☮️✌🏽

Against Common Sense book release
We’re reading in a giant open-air warehouse where BARGES used to be fabricated. Hell yeah.
Celebrating Brian S Ellis’ newest poetry collection: Against Common Sense. Reading alongside Carrie Seitzinger, Stephen Meads, and Mindy Nettifee. Bevs from COFFEE BEER.
Oregon Humanities' Spoke'n Words
Join us on July 22nd at 6pm for poetic performances, music, and plenty of fun. Ride begins at Oregon Park (NE Oregon Street and 30th Avenue) and ends at Revolution Hall.
Literally Crawling: a virtual lit fest
Join Death Rattle Writers Fest and Zines & Things for Literally Crawling, a two-day virtual lit crawl featuring four curated lineups–including favorites from Tell Me a Story, Oroboro, Poetry Brothel, and Unchaste Readers. This event will be hosted via Crowdcast, with live captions available.
$7 suggested donation.
I’ll be reading as part of the Unchaste Readers portion, on Sunday November 15th, starting around 3:30pm Pacific.

Salon Skid Row
A monthly salon performance series, featuring poetry, prose, music, dance, and visual artists. Doors 7pm / Show 8pm. 21 & over. Free.
Tuesday, February 11th: Micah Fletcher, Rob Gray, Robyn Bateman, Jenna Marie Fletcher, KMA Sullivan & Cinema Obscura
An Altar to Alter: Opening Reception
An Altar to Alter: A transcendent experience in Black Feminine Art and Healing is a pop-up collaboration between Portland in Color and the Portland Art Museum, debuting in conjunction with Hank Willis Thomas' exhibit All Things Being Equal.
The opening reception will feature performances from singer and dancer Uriah Boyd, writer Jenna Fletcher and Slam Poetry artist Briana Grisby. Sounds and music provided by DJ No.Bi.Es.
With portraits by Intisar Abioto and accompanying zine by Melodee Dudley and edited by Tiara Darnell, An Altar to Alter celebrates the work of Ni Saara Abioto, Princess Bouton, Jarlisa Corbett, Adriene Cruz, Crystal Davis, Megon Dee-Cave, Father Fannie, Leila Haile, Kanda Mbenza-Ngoma, Kris Rene, Tazha Williams
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1004655566544722

No Self Respecting Woman: Chapbook Release
NO SELF-RESPECTING WOMAN is a collection of three essays that explore loneliness, insecurities, body image, and Taco Bell. Yes, Taco Bell will be provided at the event.
Please come and enjoy this wonderfully intimate event celebrating the release of this title with a stellar lineup of female writers of color, dancing, food, and so much more.
LINEUP:
-Katherine D. Morgan
-Jewels
-Marita DeLeon
-Jenna Marie Fletcher
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/724083384688648/
Marty McConnell Book Release
Marty McConnell reads from her latest poetry collection, "when they say you can't go home again, what they mean is you were never there," joined by special guests Beth Marquez and yr girl.

AWP Welcome Party: Write Bloody + University of Hell
Join authors from Write Bloody Publishing and University of Hell Press at the fabulous NM Bodecker Foundation on Wednesday, March 27th, for a celebration of books, (a bit) of beer (+ wine), and (a lot) of boogie. Eight authors will share short, powerful selections of their work; ALL participants will dance dance dance the (early) night away.
6:30pm Doors open!
7:30-8:30pm Reading begins!
8:30-9:30pm Fast and furious dance party!
FREE! but MUST RSVP via the Eventbrite link to reserve your coveted spot for this exclusively rad event. Limited to the first 100 guests!
Carol Ellis Chapbook Release
Celebrating the release of Carol Ellis’ chapbook, Hello, out out Two Plum Press.
Reading alongside Carol, Nathan Wade Carter and Amie Zimmerman. <3
Mind & Mouth
Getting back on the reading horse after a year-long break! Doing a feature at Marrow PDX’s youth open mic, Mind & Mouth.
Marrow PDX is an incredible local youth-centered community space that aims to empower teens to take ownership over their education & to foster a community of youth who are visually, socially and culturally literate.
Attendance for the open mic is open to all ages, but performance time is open to folks 10-24. Sliding scale entry, $0-5 for youth, $5-10 for adults.

Octopus Books reading
"On her first PNW Tour since the publication of Testify (Octopus Books, 2017) Simone John will be joined by local poets Jenna Marie Fletcher and Stacey Tran, whose book Soap for the Dogs is forthcoming from Gramma Press in March 2018."
Mind-Meld (with Mark)
Reading alongside Christopher Corbell, Pat Jasnowski, Emily Lakehomer and the incomparable Mark Savage. Let's get fuckin' weird.
The Book of Definitions Chapbook Release
Join us for the release of a new chapbook from Portland poet and painter Ross Robbins. Atomic Theory Micro Press will open presales for the new chap, THE BOOK OF DEFINITIONS, on July 1st! Supporting readers including Robert Duncan Gray, Allison Cobb, Donald Dunbar, Jenna Marie Fletcher, Julian Smuggles, and Amy Temple Harper will knock your socks off, all leading up to the comeback performance of PDX literary scene darling / reclusive genius / sexpot / soon-to-be world conqueror Ross Robbins. You will not want to miss the poetic onslaught on offer!
The Difficult To Name Reading Series
Hosted by Ryan Sartor
Reading alongside manuel arturo abreu, Lucia Fasano, David Greenwald, kiki nicole, Mary Numair and Justin Taylor
Roygbiv Chapbook Release
Come celebrate the official release of Nathan Wade Carter's stunning and honest new chapbook, ROYGBIV, from Ursus Americanus Press. We have been hard at work on this little thing for a minute now and are ecstatic about releasing it into the world. The event is free, just bring your bodies and a beverage of your choice.
It's an all three-named poetry event featuring:
Nathan Wade Carter
Julia Clare Tillinghast
Jenna Marie Fletcher

OUTWORK: Bodies
Artists will use their mediums to challenge ideas of beauty, safety, capability, autonomy, sex, and personal identity.
Proceeds from the door, donations for beer, and a percentage of all sold art will go to TransActive Gender Center.
Performing alongside: Amenta Abioto, SEA, FAUN Dae, LuvJonez Music, and Ecdysiast Pole Dance Studio
Featured Artists: Jess Ackerman, Hannah Andrews, Ali Balter, Alexandra Gomez, Leif Lee, Krysta McDaniel, Taylor Partee, Pace Taylor, Steele Walston
Food and Drink by Laughing Planet, Ex Novo and Widmer Brothers
Facebook event --> Outwork: Bodies

Nailed Magazine: Listening to Black Voices
This is the second reading in a series NAILED will be hosting, each involving a focus to resist the current administration's damage and threat to civil rights. The focus of this reading is to honor black voices, and to bring community focus to organizations like Don't Shoot PDX. These organizations will be providing audience members with information about how to get more involved in the struggle for equality of all people. If the current times have taught us anything, it's that we must all share in the struggle and find ways to be of service to each other.
Doors at 7pm, reading begins at 8pm! Free admission. 21+ - Facebook event HERE.
Reading alongside Robert Lashley, Anna Doogan, Grace Forrester, and Emmett Wheatfall

LOFI at HIFI
A direct descendant of entertainment powerhouse The New Shit Show, LOFI @ Hifi is packed with Portland favorite performers in a highly entertaining variety show that features regular segments that include comedy, music, stories, poetry, video, and weird stuff.
Hosted by ANDREW DICKSON, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) Time Based Art Favorite and host of The Moth, this quarterly show will take place in the performer’s dream space for this show- a cozy mansion in SE Portland- and all for a very good cause.
Performing friends and wonders B Frayn Masters, Arthur Bradford, Emily Overstreet, Adam Shearer, Mindy Nettifee, and Andrew Dickson.
Tickets here: https://impactflow.com/event/lofi-at-hifi-2798

SUSAN / 1001
SUSAN / The Journal and the IPRC's 1001 Journal are teaming up to host a reading!
Performing alongside: Emily Kendel Frey, Jamie Mortara, Olivia Olivia, Tyler Sowa
Facebook event here --> SUSAN / 1001

OUTWORK: Union
Outwork features artists of all backgrounds and mediums, who come together to share their work with other folks who stand firm in the fight for social justice.
All proceeds from the door and a percentage of all art sold will go directly to Black Lives Matter, and we will be taking suggestions that night for other organizations folks want to see supported. Sliding scale entry fee of $7-10.
This month's theme is Union. What brings us together in union? How are we communal? What connotations does “union” carry in politics, public, personal lives? How does the system work to unite people/tear people apart?
Can our nation ever be united?
Facebook event here --> Outwork: Union
More info about Outwork here --> outwork.space