Second Tuesday featuring Melchor Sahagun & Tina Marie Curiel-Vega

We’re super excited to invite everyone to November’s Second Tuesday reading at the Intermission in downtown Modesto. Not only do we get to experience poetry in an amazing new space in our community, but also we celebrate Sorry I’m Late, the first collection from Stockton poet Melchor Sahagun, erstwhile and beloved Queen Bean Poetry Night host. Joining him as featured poet is author and activist Tina Marie Curiel-Vega, cofounder of the existir collective whose most recent zine Trying to Fix Destiny just came out. Stay for the open mic following the featured readers.
MELCHOR SAHAGUN – Melchor Sahagun is a human being from the human city of Stockton, CA, who has spent most of the last three decades writing, singing, joking, rapping, acting, and otherwise participating in various human endeavors.

He’s spent his human years as a poet, musician, author, comedian, playwright , performer, and skateboarder; mentoring other humans in the written and performing arts, coaching slam teams, hosting events, and advocating for the arts in the greater human community– a group he connects with through several forms of human interaction.
Though he’s been writing poems for nearly thirty years, Sorry I’m Late is his first collection. He apologizes for the wait.
TINA MARIE CURIEL-VEGA – Tina Curiel is a Xicana and Boricua almost-native Central Valley poet and artivist currently living in Modesto, California with her three cats and as many books and records as possible. Her poetry explores her family history, dealings with incarceration and the criminal legal system, activism, addiction, and hope.
Both authors will have copies of their pubs for sale. Hoping you can join us to bless these new books of poetry and share ALL the poetry love.

MoSt Poetry on Saturday featuring Tama Brisbane and Linda Marie Prather

MoSt Poetry On Saturday Reading
November 4, 2023
2:00 p.m. PST
Carnegie Arts Center
250 North Broadway Avenue, Turlock CA
Join host Gary Thomas for the latest edition of MoSt’s Poetry On  Saturday in-person readings on November 4th at 2:00 p.m. at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock. Our featured readers are Stockton Poet Laureate Emerita Tama L. Brisbane and Turlock poet Linda Marie Prather. An Open Mic will follow the featured poets. This event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided.

Tama L. Brisbane:  From 2015-2023, Tama has presented over 300 times, including the inauguration of Stockton’s first Black mayor, Michael Tubbs. Her debut Laureate project helped engineer the city’s 2015 return to All-American City status with an innovative 10-minute poem incorporating over two dozen multigenerational, multiethnic voices. Her performance as Guest Poet at The King Jr. Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church led Martin Luther King III to say, “your words matter.” She is the Executive Director of With Our Words, and County Coordinator for California Poets in the Schools. As a Literary Arts Consultant, she designs programs, curricula and events for young people across the United States and around the world.

“Mama T” is a published author, a Susan B. Anthony Award Winner for Creative Arts, a University of the Pacific Woman of Distinction, a Black Women Organized for Political Action Honoree, an Action on Behalf of Children Honoree, a Charter Member of the Brave New Voices National Network, and of the National Black Poet Laureates Group. She serves on several boards advocating for arts, youth, Black families and environmental stewardship. Her tireless work on behalf of young voices — particularly those of color and from marginalized communities — has been recognized by both houses of the California Legislature, by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Tama stands in constant thanks to her Creator for her earthly assignment. She takes comfort and inspiration from two of her favorite quotes. The first is from Martin Luther King, Jr.:  “The salvation of humanity lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.”  The second is attributed to an Eastern proverb:  “If you sit on the bank of the river long enough, you will see the body of your enemy float by.”

Linda Marie Prather has been widely recognized, winning honors in both poetry and visual art.  She has been featured in Stanislaus Connections and in KCBP and KQBM radio interviews.  She was nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize and was the recipient of the 2008 Pegasus Award from California Federation of Chaparral Poets.  Linda co-edits the poetry quarterly Song of the San Joaquin and is an Arts and Letters member, National League of American Pen Women.  Her eighth book of poems, New Walk & Old Dream, was released August 2023.

 

Feels Like All of It: A Sensory, List-Inspired Poetry Workshop

Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center will present a free, in-person workshop facilitated by Tina Marie Curiel-Vega 1:00-3:00 p.m.on Saturday, October 7th at the Ceres Library. Please join us!

Second Tuesday Reading Series with Brynn Saito and Cristina Sandoval

Join us for this reading with Brynn Saito and Cristina Sandoval.
Brynn Saito’s third book of poems, Under a Future Sky, was published in August 2023 by Red Hen Press. A  2023 California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellow, Brynn is the recipient of the Benjamin Saltman Award,  and her poems have appeared in the New York Times and American Poetry Review. Brynn lives in the traditional homelands of the Yokuts and Mono peoples (aka, Fresno, CA) where she teaches in the MFA program at Fresno State. She’s co-editing with Brandon Shimoda an anthology of poetry written by descendants of the Japanese American / Nikkei incarceration, forthcoming in 2025 from Haymarket Books.
Cristina Sandoval is a recent graduate of the Fresno State MFA program, and a resident of Modesto, CA.
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkdOupqTkvH9bNir_T5d69J9taVP3SkR4P
You’ll receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link for the evening.

Fall Poetry Workshop with Susan Rich

Get your tickets for the great online workshop with poet Susan Rich. Tickets $20; + ticket fees; purchase through Eventbrite. https://mostfallworkshop.eventbrite.com

Seattle poet Susan Rich is the author of six books of poetry; her work has received fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, PEN USA, Peace Corps Writers, and more. She teaches at Highline College and is co-founder and executive director of Poets on the Coast: A Weekend Writing Retreat for Women.