Queer Slam Fundraiser for AIDS Walk LA 2021

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Monday, August 23 at 7 pm via Zoom

Pay-what-you-will ticket donations go to AIDS Walk LA 2021

Queer Slam is a monthly podcast featuring stories, spoken word, and poetry from LA’s queer community.

Join us to hear headlining and open mic poets and storytellers in celebration of queerness.

Before COVID-19, there was “the other pandemic” of HIV/AIDS, which took an immeasurable toll on the LGBTQ+ community and many other marginalized communities. AIDS Project Los Angeles, and later APLA Heath & Wellness, responded early and swiftly to provide care and resources to those who were affected. Today, they provide comprehensive healthcare, dental, and behavioral health services to people with and without private insurance, on Medicaid—anyone who needs care can access it there. The quest to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues with treatment and prevention services and advocacy.

This online event, produced by Cody Sisco and Colby Cameron Holt and hosted by Tony Soto, is free to attend via Zoom. All proceeds from pay-what-you-will ticketed donations will go to APLA Health and Wellness for AIDS Walk LA 2021.

About the Headlining Poets

Gordon Blitz

After spending forty years as an accountant, Gordon retired in 2017 and became a writing machine. During 2020, Gordon had published work in Wingless Dreamer, Two Hawks Quarterly, The Doctor T.J.Eckleburg Review, Issue #22 of Really Systems, Gay Wicked Ways and Emeritus Chronicles. On January 1st 2021, his novella Shipped Off was published as part of the Running Wild Press Novella Anthology Volume four, book one. He’s a standup comic who has performed at Canter’s and The Blackbox Theater at the GLBT Village in Hollywood. He was also a contestant on “Hear My Story” that was featured on

IMRU. You can listen to his very own special episode of Queer Slam called “Just Gordon”. We love him very much here at Queer Slam!

His blog URL is: https://culturecritique.blog/

C.R.U.S.H. (Creating.Realities.Using.Spiritual.Hands)

C.R.U.S.H. is a literary and spoken word artist who has performed internationally and is a nationally ranked slam poet. They are the15th ranked female poet in the nation (Women of the World Poetry Slam 2020) and the 30th ranked poet in the world (iWPS). They are a member of the Dallas Poetry Slam Team where they took 1st place at Southwest Shootout 2019 Team Competition and 2nd Place at SoFried 2019 and IPS 2021 Regional Poetry Team Competition Their purpose is merging poetry, art, and positive energy to help others find healing and inner power to create their desired realities.

Their website is: https://crush-crave.square.site/

Featured Event | RISING UP: Poets Take A Stand

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Rising Up: Poets Take A Stand

Watch on YouTube

This reading featured four poets from different backgrounds who are concerned with issues of social justice. Lisbeth Coiman, Deborah J. Hunter, Teresa Mei Chuc, and Leonora Simonovis will share their poems of resistance to stand up to racism, dictators, and the machinery of war itself.

This online event, produced by Lisbeth Coiman in collaboration with Bookswell, was free to attend via Zoom and YouTube. All proceeds from pay-what-you-will ticketed donations went to Stop AAPI Hate.

Book Giveaway: Taking Charge of Change by Paul Shoemaker

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The social, economic and health challenges facing us in the 2020s are radically different than those we faced even one generation ago. Meet the new leaders, Rebuilders, who are moving us forward and learn how to apply their same effectiveness, qualities, and attributes to your own leadership.

The leadership it has always taken to build our communities and companies is still relevant, but not sufficient to rebuild an America that has become too uneven and siloed over the last 20 years. 

Using the metaphor of America’s deteriorating bridges, social impact leader and author Shoemaker shows us in Taking Charge of Change that the foundations of American communities and companies are in deep need of rethinking and rebuilding. Writing for socially conscious and civically active leaders who seek greater impact—in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors—Shoemaker profiles thirty-eight rock star change agents who he dubs Rebuilders. Readers will: 

  • Learn the 5 vital traits change leaders use to solve big problems.
  • Gain perspective from relevant research, data, leadership lessons, and 3 case studies that illuminate the path ahead.
  • Meet the leaders setting the standard for social change impact … all shared in Shoemaker’s signature storytelling style.

Taking Charge of Change speaks to a powerful truth: Each of us does not have to passively let change happen to us. We can each be a leader, a Rebuilder, that shapes the kind of change we want to see in the world. We can be an active positive force in leading our communities, companies, and citizens in the decade ahead.

Ultimately, Shoemaker shows how change is happening and profiles the Rebuilders leading it and their unique qualities of 24-7 Authenticity, Complexity Capacity, and much more to inform and inspire you as a leader.

To enter the book giveaway, head to our Instagram, hit us up with a follow, and tag a friend in the comments to win. See you on our insta!

Do you like fine print? You can read the official rules here.