Stories from Brooklyn

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL 2022 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT


Worker-owned independent publisher Radix Media is proud to bring a multidisciplinary gathering of
authors exploring what it means to live, write, and be in community with other writers in Brooklyn.

“Stories from Brooklyn brings together graphic novelists, poets, fiction writers, and essayists to discuss how the borough of Brooklyn inspires writing practice, encourages original literary work, and supports writers and independent publishing. Does Brooklyn encourage or shield writers from the pressures of creating and consistently participating in the competitive literary world of the city? Join us to find out what some of our most exciting contemporary voices have to say about this.

Ft. writers Bishakh Som, Bernard Ferguson, Ghinwa Jawhari, John Dermot Woods, and Sasha Fletcher, the event will be moderated by Margot Atwell, Executive Director of Feminist Press.

This is an all-vax event.

TIMES
Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7:00pm

TICKETS
THIS IS A FREE EVENT
Our beloved City Reliquary Members get all event, for free at just $10 a month.
Please consider signing up for our WithFriends membership, which keeps our small museum alive and thriving for our NYC community.

Artist Bios

Bishakh Som
Bishakh is an Indian-American trans femme visual artist and author. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Autostraddle, The Strumpet, The Boston Review, The Georgia Review, Black Warrior Review and The Brooklyn Rail, amongst other publications.

Her graphic novel Apsara Engine (The Feminist Press) is the winner of a 2020 L.A. Times Book Prize for Best Graphic Novel and a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner for Best LGBTQ Comics. Her graphic memoir Spellbound (Street Noise Books) was also a 2021 Lambda Literary Award finalist.

Bishakh’s artwork was featured in solo shows at ArtLexis Gallery and at Jaya Yoga Center and in group shows at The Society of Illustrators in New York, the Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College, Issyra Gallery, the Grady Alexis Gallery, De Cacaofabriek in the Netherlands and most recently at Art Omi in Ghent, NY.

You can see her work at www.bishakh.com.

Bernard Ferguson
Bernard Ferguson (they/them) is a Bahamian poet, essayist and educator whose work has been featured, published or is forthcoming in The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, VICE News, The Paris Review, The Georgia Review, and elsewhere.

They are currently working on a book of nonfiction, The Climate Sirens (Graywolf, 2024), about Hurricane Dorian, the effects of climate change on Small-Island Developing States, and how centuries of far-flung injustices—like colonization, slavery, and numerous inequalities at local and global scales—have come to cause the climate crisis.

John Dermot Woods
John Dermot Woods writes stories and draws comics in Brooklyn, NY. He is the author of several books including The Baltimore Atrocities (Coffee House Press), Always Blue (Radix Media), and Activities (Publishing Genius).

He enjoys playing tennis on New York City’s cracked courts and surfing along New York City’s temperamental and often frigid shoreline. He is a long-time professor of English and Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College.

See more of his work at johndermotwoods.com.

Ghinwa Jawhari
Ghinwa Jawhari is a Lebanese American writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She was born to Druze parents in Cleveland, OH. Her essays, fiction, and poetry appear in Catapult, Mizna, Narrative, SPEAK, The Adroit Journal, and elsewhere. She was a 2021 Margins Fellow at the Asian American Writers Workshop, and is the founding editor of the Koukash Review.

Ghinwa’s work explores themes central to Arab-American girlhood, including inherited trauma, sexuality and the growing body, identity in diaspora, and the contracts of tradition. BINT is her debut collection.

More at ghinwajawhari.com.

Sasha Fletcher
Sasha Fletcher is the author of the novel Be Here to Love Me at the End of the World. He lives in
Brooklyn.

About the Moderator:
Margot Atwell (she/her/hers) is a writer, editor, publisher, speaker, and community funding expert. She is the Executive Director and Publisher of Feminist Press. Previously, she was Head of Publishing and Director of Community Outreach at Kickstarter, PBC, and Publisher of Beaufort Books. In 2019, she was selected as a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree and received the Digital Book World award for outstanding achievement in publishing.

She’s the co-author of The Insider’s Guide to Book Publishing Success, and author of Derby Life. You can find her on Twitter or Instagram at @MargotAtwell, and read
her writing in her On the Books newsletter.

Radix Media is a worker-owned, union printer and independent publisher based in Brooklyn, New
York.

WHAT IS THE CITY RELIQUARY?
Reliquaries typically house the ostensible bones of dead saints. We house the bones of New York City. Seltzer bottles to schist cores, roller skates from racially integrated rinks, and a burnt out lightbulb from the Statue of Liberty's torch are just a few examples of our exciting collection.

We use this space to breathe new life into New York city, with not only our incredible collection of interactive historical exhibits, but continuous and stimulating programming, arts, and events.

WHY MEMBERSHIP?
Membership gives you FREE ACCESS to all upcoming events, museum entry with a plus one on all open days, and the unique opportunity to be a part of a thriving creative community. You can become a member for $10/month at cityreliquary.org/join.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
The City Reliquary values the individual diversity of every member of our community. Differences in age, race, ethnic heritage, religion, appearance, gender, sexual orientation, or any number of characteristics provide experiences, viewpoints, and ideas that strengthen and enrich our mission.

We are committed to creating an environment that is safe, inclusive, respectful, and equitable, and to include and uplift people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to create a safe and inspiring space.

From day one, our motto has been this simple phrase: Be Civic. And we’re sticking to it.

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFETY
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for entry. See nyc.gov/keytonyc for accepted vaccines & forms of proof.

The main entrance and indoor museum are entirely flat, but there are 4 steps up and 4 steps down to the backyard. The backyard is uneven earth with some steps and platforms.

The City Reliquary will not tolerate any hateful words or actions. If at any time you feel unsafe or concerned about anything at The City Reliquary, please talk to a volunteer, who can be found at the front desk or at the bar. They will do their best to address the issue.

If the price of the ticket is keeping you from attending, or you have any questions or requests regarding safety or accessibility, please email charlotte@cityreliquary.org.