Tampa Bay area writers and activists plan to focus on the opposite — unity and diversity — in an event they're planning for Jan. 15.
A local branch of the international movement Writers Resist is planning an event that will coincide with a national event of the same name as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in an effort to express their hopes, fears and frustrations. The free event, open to the public, is slated to take place at Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.
Writers Resist describes itself as a a collective that “seek to elevate the voices of the unheard, empower fellow writers, advance community, act as social catalysts for change, and move forward.”
As Trump's inauguration looms just days later, the divisive figure will likely be on the minds of many of the performers. But organizers of the event say performers have been asked not to mention Trump by name.*
By using their writing and poetry, the participants seek to promote peace and understanding, while opposing efforts at curtailing the freedom and justice. The event will bring together some of the area's most notable poets and writers, with its list of speakers including Poet Laureate of Florida and CL contributor Peter Meinke, the Poet Laureate of St. Pete Helen Wallace and USF professor and civil rights author Julie Armstrong among others.
Musical performances will also take place, with Billy Mays and Pedro El Poeta scheduled to take part.The event is scheduled for 3-6 P.M.
*An earlier version of this post suggested the president-elect would be a major focus of the event. CL regrets the error.
This article appears in Dec 22-29, 2016.