Poets in Resistance Reading Mixes Art and Activism
McHenry—The Social Justice Team of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry. will sponsor Poets in Resistance, a public reading and rally on Friday, March 10 at 7 pm. Over a dozen poets from high school students to senior citizens, accomplished published writers, poetry slam stars, to fresh new voices will participate with challenging original work.
Poets in Resistance is being organized and will be hosted by long time McHenry County poet and activist Patrick Murfin, the author of We Build Temples in the Heart best known locally as the longtime host of the old annual Diversity Day Festival in Woodstock.
“The event is a response to the many threats to civil liberties, social justice, women’s rights, marriage equality, voting rights, the ecology, and the basic economic security and medical care of millions of Americans are now facing,” Poets are honoring a time honored tradition of prophetic witness by lending their powerful voices to a growing and active Resistance,”
Prolific Lake County poet and promoter of a vibrant spoken word scene Jacqueline Nichole Harris; Andrea Hawkins-Kemper, a powerful poet of exploration of gender identity, vulnerability, and strength; Philip Chares Denofriao, the Poet in Residence at the Raue Center; and the Chicago Slam Poets with Mojdeh Stoakley are just some of the varied voices that will be heard.
Poets in Resistance is the latest in a series of programs facilitated by the Tree of Life Social Justice team that engage the arts in the service of Social Justice. Those events included the Justice for All Ball in January and the enormously popular Rattle the Walls Concert fundraiser for the ACLU in February.
The program is free and open to the public. A free will collection will be taken to defray expenses and support the social justice ministry of the church. The building is accessible to the differently abled.
Light refreshments will be served and adult beverages will be available.
Some of the poets will have books, chapbooks, and recording available for sale.
For more information call Patrick Murfin at 815 814-5645, e-mail pmurfin@sbcglobal.net or office@treeoflifeuu.org or visit the Facebook Event at https://www.facebook.com/events/389512158048931/