2017-2018 Annual Report - Literary Arts

Each year, we invite you to hear world-famous authors in the concert hall and on the radio. We ask you to support emerging writers, young and old, during community events and student readings. We offer you a seat at writing classes and reading seminars, where you can build community with other literary enthusiasts. We invite you to explore all forms of literature, from storytelling to slam poetry. At Literary Arts, we invite you to find your story here, in whatever form it may take.

WORDS FROM THE DIRECTOR WHO WE ARE

Stories are powerful. The stories that get told define who we are for ourselves and others. Who has the opportunity to tell their story and who does not? And who has an audience that is listening, reading, and engaging with that story?

The history of who can tell their story and who is listening is part of the history of oppression, prejudice, and privilege. At Literary Arts we acknowledge that, as Oregonians, we have been part of this history.

We are committed to a different future. One in which all members of our community have the opportunity to tell their stories, particularly members of our communities of color.

We have begun to make some programmatic progress in this area. For example, we have significantly increased the resources we give to writers of color and have expanded our education program into East Multnomah County. We regularly partner with culturally specific organizations at our downtown event space and highlight writers of color in all our programs, and we have focused on staff and board trainings and conversations around equity on a continual basis.

With appreciation, OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE READERS, SUPPORT WRITERS, AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION WITH

We consider this progress a start and are committed to deepening this work.

We cannot do this work alone, and we are grateful to all of our partner organizations and individuals who support our mission to better serve more Oregonians.

“ Literary Arts is an amazing organization doing necessary, vital work in the community. They reach across boundaries and bring so many different people together around books. In doing so, they create community.”

— Jesmyn Ward, 2017/2018 Portland Arts & Lectures author, two-time National Book Award winner

Many of our live literary events featured authors discussing the most important social issues of our day, from race in America to the effects of global migration.

20,000 READERS ENGAGED 1,500 WRITERS SUPPORTED 4,000 YOUTH INSPIRED

A total of $70,000 was awarded to local writers and publishers, our most generous fellowship award to date.

More than 4,000 youth participated in Youth Programs including over 1,000 students who participated in creative writing residencies.

Each year, our programs bring more than 20,000 Oregonians together to explore the many ways literature can enrich our lives.

Over the past year, we have seen record attendance at our events. From the 10,000 attendees at the Portland Book Festival to the more than 1,000 students producing work through our writing residencies, our community has shown us the importance of creating spaces for people to find their story.

ENGAGE READERS

Literary Arts brought some of the world’s most celebrated authors to engage with our local community. Our season of events featured more than 150 authors whose lectures, readings, and discussions inspired more than 20,000 readers of all ages.

PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES

In addition to presenting to a sold-out audience at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, our five visiting authors engaged with readers and writers of all ages in the community. For example, Man Booker Prize-winning author George Saunders spoke with students at Madison High School and engaged with local writers at our community space in downtown Portland.

2,500 annual subscribers.

“Literary Arts is a truly essential organization— to Portland, and to the artistic life of the country, especially in recognizing how essential it is to bring art out into communities that might not normally be served in that way.”

George Saunders, 2017/2018 Portland Arts & Lectures author

PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL HAS A NEW NAME!

In June, Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival was renamed to, simply, the Portland Book Festival. By referring to our city, we reflect the civic nature of the event, and we clarify for our attendees, authors, and partners (both locally and nationally) the nature of the festival as a major event and one that puts readers at the forefront.

PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL (FORMERLY WORDSTOCK)

We saw record attendance across all age groups at the Portland Book Festival. The 2017 Festival included dedicated stages for Children’s, Middle Grade, and Young Adult literature. The author lineup featured a mix of more than 135 local and national writers such as Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jeffrey Eugenides, Claire Messud, Morgan Parker, Tom Perotta, and Lidia Yuknavitch.

More than 10,000 attendees

1,544 students received free admission.

“So many fun activities and events to see, and the delightful opportunity to be surrounded by thousands of book people all engaging with similar topics and conversations.”

—Portland Book Festival attendee

THE ARCHIVE PROJECT

Now in its fourth season, The Archive Project rebroadcasts a wide range of Literary Arts programming, including recordings from Portland Arts & Lectures, Portland Book Festival, Everybody Reads, and Verselandia!.

15,000 monthly listeners on the radio and online.

130+ episodes.

EVERYBODY READS 2018

In partnership with Multnomah County Library and the Library Foundation, this year’s Everybody Reads program featured Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. During his time in Portland, Hamid discussed his experience as an immigrant and the stigmas that are placed on refugees around the world.

1,700 attendees, including 740 students.

“This was the best lecture I’ve heard in years and so needed at this time in our country. It was water to my soul.”

Everybody Reads 2018 attendee

DELVE READERS SEMINARS

Each year, we continue to experiment with the subject matter and format of our Delve Readers Seminars to engage a community of passionate readers and seminar guides. In partnership with the Portland Art Museum, local writer Coleman Stevenson hosted a seminar on the commonalities in the ways writers and visual artists recreate the human experience. During the six-week seminar, fifteen students explored works by modern and contemporary writers alongside the beautiful visual art in the museum galleries.

279 participants enrolled in 20 seminars.

“I applaud Literary Arts’ willingness to open wide the big tent of intellectual curiosity. I love embedding myself deeply into a piece of fiction to spy on how it was made, the effect of authorial choices, its benevolent synchronicities...”

— Delve Readers Seminar participant

SUPPORT WRITERS

Literary Arts connects with hundreds of local writers and publishers throughout the year. We celebrate and recognize the remarkable work being created by local writers and publishers through awards and fellowships. We also hire writers to teach workshops, and we partner with artists and organizations to host free events in our space and in the community.

OREGON BOOK AWARDS

The 2018 Oregon Book Awards finalists included 35 writers. This year, for the first time in over 15 years, the Oregon Book Awards judging system was changed to include three judges in each genre. An audience of more than 400 came to cheer on local authors during the live, annual Oregon Book Awards Ceremony on April 30, 2018.

205 books submitted.

35 finalists recognized and celebrated.

“Samiya Bashir has written an utterly original and necessary book of poetry. In Field Theories, the reader is invited to share the world with the multitude with, of, and for whom the poet speaks. Through each page and line, we know we are being engaged and directed and challenged by an artist so skilled and keen-eyed and true to her instincts.”

—Laura Kasischke, Oregon Book Awards judge

OREGON LITERARY FELLOWSHIPS

Twenty Oregon Literary Fellowship recipients were awarded a total of $70,000 this year. Out-of-state judges selected this year’s diverse group of recipients from more than 400 applicants. Two fellowships were funded by the Oregon Arts Commission, and two new fellowships in fiction were made possible by the Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship. A generous grant from the Oregon Community Foundation also supported these fellowships.

18 writers and 2 publishers awarded fellowships of $3,500 each.

“More than anything, this fellowship is a reminder I live in a community that values its storytellers and is willing to support them. I can’t overstate how much that means.”

Omar El Akkad, 2018 Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient

OREGON BOOK AWARDS TOUR

Nine Oregon Book Award authors participated in this year’s tour and visited public high schools, libraries, community centers, and theaters across Oregon. Events included a staged reading of Words That Burn at the Linkville Theater in Klamath Falls, a performance of Berlin Diary at Oregon Contemporary Theatre in Eugene and Havurah Shir Hadash in Ashland, a school visit, and a free workshop.

6 towns visited across Oregon.

230 people engaged.

WRITING CLASSES

Students from all levels of experience and backgrounds came to our classes this year to start their memoirs, finish their novels, revise their poems, and join a community of inspired writers. Many of our instructors are Oregon Book Award authors and Literary Fellowship recipients, and all of them are experienced teachers. Earned income from the classes contributes to the sustainability of our awards program.

356 students participated in 48 classes.

“The class helped me re-discover my writing practice. Being immersed in a community of other writers was inspiring and buoyed my creative process.”

—Writing Student

@LITERARYARTS EVENTS

Our community center in downtown Portland offers a space for local and national organizations to present literary events for free or at low-cost. We’ve seen our partners program innovative, culturally specific events that give a platform to new voices and emerging writers, including Incite: Queer Writers Read, Kundiman, and Los Porteños.

1,600 total audience attended 45 free events, featuring 20 community partners and 218 presenting artists.

“Another goal of Incite is to feature unpublished queer writers. There are so many queer writers out there who are producing great work but who are getting overlooked or haven’t broke out yet.”

Kate Carroll de Gutes, co-founder of Incite

INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

Our Youth Programs inspired more than 4,000 students with a variety of literary opportunities in the classroom and concert hall. From creative writing residencies taught by local writers, to school visits with world-renown authors, students experienced first-hand the value literature can offer.

WRITERS IN THE SCHOOLS RESIDENCIES

We partnered with 31 educators at 11 public high schools throughout the year. At Lincoln High School, poet Bettina de Leon Barrera worked in Trevor Todd’s Spanish-language magazine class. In a room of Spanish speakers from around the world, and particularly Latin America, Barrera taught the craft of poetry to help these students further their abilities as magazine writers and editors.

24 professional writers hired.

1,055 students served.

“Students were able to engage in writing that was personal and relevant to them. Additionally, they were able to learn to hear their own voices in their work.”

—Madison High School teacher

156 students were published in the 2016-17 WITS anthology Galaxies on the Ground and the chapbook Everything is Changing.

STUDENT READINGS

Sharing work with friends, family, and community members helps students grow as writers. Students shared their poems, prose, and comics alongside teachers and WITS writers during 11 end-of-residency readings. Nineteen students performed their work on stage at the Portland Book Festival.

126 students shared work.

365 attendees

“Having a WITS writer helped create a sense of community in our classroom. This experience has brought us together, so thank you!”

—Franklin High School Student

AUTHOR VISITS AND STUDENTS TO THE SCHNITZ

Hundreds of students engaged with eight award-winning authors in the concert hall and classrooms throughout the year. Two-time National Book Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward visited Benson High School and discussed how her fiction was affected by her life experiences, including living through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

732 books provided to 1,638 students who attended lecture events and author visits.

“I saw a successful, talented woman of color that I can identify with. As she talked, I felt inspired to write more than ever before.”

Woodburn High School student after attending Jesmyn Ward’s Portland Arts & Lectures event

COLLEGE ESSAY MENTORSHIP

At Benson, Franklin, Gresham, Madison, and Roosevelt high schools, we paired volunteer mentors with students working on their essays for college and scholarship applications. Over half of these students reported that they are part of the first generation in their family heading to college.

239 students served by 103 volunteer mentors

“My mentor was very nice, a good listener, and kept me on topic. She helped me gain insight on what I want to become in the future.”

—Roosevelt High School student

VERSELANDIA!

During the annual Verselandia! City-wide Youth Poetry Slam, local high school students performed original poetry on stage at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. This year’s event drew the largest audience yet, underlining the importance of giving youth a platform where their voices can be heard.

21 students performed in front of 1,436 peers , parents , and poetry fans

“If you have something to say, or feel like your voice is not heard, or if you have things to teach people and wisdom to get out, slam poetry is great.”

—Verselandia! finalist

DEVELOPMENT & FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR CONTRIBUTION IMPACTS OREGON’S READERS & WRITERS

More than 20,000 individuals enjoyed Literary Arts programming.

EXPENSES

THE BRIAN BOOTH WRITERS’ FUND

A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FOR THE OREGON BOOK AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM.

This year, Literary Arts awarded a total of $70,000 to 20 fellowship recipients—our largest cohort to date. This program is made possible in part by the Brian Booth Writers’ Fund.

BRIAN BOOTH WRITERS’ FUND

CAMPAIGN HONOR ROLL

We thank the following donors for their generous gifts as we work to raise $2 million to permanently fund the Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships program. The following donors have pledged gifts of $3,000 or more to the Brian Booth Writers’ Fund as of June 1, 2018.

Raised to Date: $1,748,345

Anonymous

Ray & Jean Auel

Gwyneth Gamble Booth

Tom Booth & Megan

Holden

Nancy & Roderick Boutin

Charles & Lyn Cameron

Joan Cirillo & Roger Cooke

Rick Comandich

The Concordia Foundation

Sybilla Cook

A Benefit For Literary Arts

Friday, September 28, 2018 Portland Art Museum

Join us for our fundraiser benefitting all of our literary programs that inspire Oregon’s readers and writers. For more information about purchasing a table or becoming a sponsor, please contact us at 503.227.2583 x118. Learn more at literary-arts.org/bookmark

Ginnie Cooper

Rocky & Julie Strasser Dixon

Bart & Jill Eberwein

Carol Edelman

Gale Family Trust

Brian Gard

Bob Geddes

Gray Family Fund

The Estate of Dorothy D. Hirsch

In memory of Dorothy D. Hirsch

Bob & Ceil Huntington

Susheela Jayapal

Keller Foundation

Phil & Penny Knight

Laurell Swails Trust

Ursula & Charles Le Guin

Literary Arts Board of Directors

Christopher Lord

The Mancini Family

Phillip M. Margolin

Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund

Anne Mendel & Mark Henry

Lora & Jim Meyer

The Neuner Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

Katherine O’Neil & Toby Graff

Corrine Oishi & Lindley

Morton

Jan & Steve Oliva

PGE Foundation

Diane Ponti & Ward

Greene

Gary & Linda Pope

Amy Prosenjak & Steven Guy

Regional Arts & Culture Council

Halle M. Sadle

The Samuel S. Johnson Foundation

Robert D. Scanlan

Arlene Schnitzer

Spark Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation

Storms Family Foundation

Tonkon Torp LLP

U.S. Bank

Wheeler Foundation

William & Helen Jo

Whitsell

Dan Wieden & Priscilla

Bernard Wieden

Wyss Foundation

Thank you to our supporters

Literary Arts Leadership Circle

Members of the Leadership Circle invest in Literary Arts by generously giving $2,500 or more.

Directors Circle $25,000+

Joan Cirillo & Roger Cooke

Jan & Steve Oliva

Sustainer’s Circle $10,000-14,999

Rocky & Julie Strasser Dixon

Sue & Ed Einowski

Cecelia & Robert Huntington

Ross M. Lienhart

Diane Ponti & Ward Greene

Arlene Schnitzer

Dan Wieden & Priscilla Bernard Wieden

Contributor’s Circle $5,000-9,999

Anonymous

Tim & Mary Boyle

Ginnie Cooper

Rebecca & Michael DeCesaro

Ann & Mark Edlen Family

Betsy & Tom Henning

Phillip M. Margolin

Josie G. Mendoza & Hugh Mackworth

Katherine O’Neil & Toby Graff

Amy Prosenjak & Steven Guy

Halle & Rick Sadle

Dennis Steinman

Jackie & William Willingham

Supporter’s Circle $2,500-4,999

Jill & Ken Abere

Ray & Jean Auel

Mike R. Barr

Nancy & Roderick Boutin

Patricia Cliff & Karl Von Frieling

Theodore & Nancy Downes-Le Guin

Bob Geddes

Dr. Teri Greiling

Sara & Andrew Guest

Mary Hirsch & Yoshi Shimizu

David Johnson

David Maddocks

Carolyn & Larry McKinney

Richard H. Meeker & Ellen F. Rosenblum

Anne Mendel & Mark Henry

Deidra Miner

Gary & Linda Pope

Andrew & Veronica Proctor

Bob Speltz

Donald & Roslyn Sutherland

Dr. Larry Thomas

Amy Wayson & Ken Moran

Carl Wilson & Evan Boone

Tom & Marcia Wood

Dr. Candace Young

Dr. Larry Thomas,

Amy Wayson & Ken Moran

Tom & Marcia Wood

Dr. Candace Young

Individuals

$1,000 +

Mike Bennison

Paul & Nancy Bragdon

Loulie J. Brown

Amy Carlsen Kohnstamm & Kevin Kohnstamm

Rick Comandich

Mark & Brandon Crisler, Trellis Wine

Group

Rachel & Thomas Cody

Alice Cuprill-Comas & Rick Short

Marian Davis & Peter Librizzo

Amy Donohue & Paul McKean

Penny & Ken Durant

Bart & Jill Eberwein

Marie Eckert

Edward & Marilyn Epstein

Dean & Alison Freed

Eric & Rebecca Friedenwald-Fishman

Patricia Frobes & Richard Smith

Sarah & Kurt Gibbon

Linda & Ron Greenman

Pat & Kelley Harrington

Laura & Rocky Henderson

Pamela Smith Hill

Susheela Jayapal

Peter Johnson

Lynne Johnston

Selby & Douglas Key

Barbara & Jock Kimberley

Peter Koehler & Noelle Hanlon

Molly Kohnstamm

Helen Langley

Heather Mahoney

Julie Mancini & Dennis Bromka

Carol Mayer-Reed & Michael Reed

Kathi McCoy

Elise Menashe & Jay Miller

Philip Miller & Colleen Cain

Jessica Mozeico

Mona Mozeico

Ramón & Sandy Pagán

Traci Parker

Tami Parr & Anna Joyce

Alex Payne & Nicole Brodeur

Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Pyles

Jim & Natasha Reinhart

Marjorie Sandor & Tracy Daugherty

Gayle & Dennis Seely

Norm & Barbara Sepenuk

Paulette & Michael Shaw-Querner

Miriam Sontz & Joseph Walsh

Rachael Spavins

Bonnie Pomeroy Stern

Charles Stilwell

Cheryl Strayed

Kristin Walrod

Sue Wright

David & Sharon Wynde

Steven & Deborah Wynne

Morton & Audrey Zalutsky

$500 +

Geri Abere

Beverly Aldinger & Kirk Gibson

Angela Allen & Jan van Santen

Stacy Allison

Elizabeth Ash & David Morganstern

Robert & Julia Ball

Karin Barber

Kim & Daniel Bissell

Kim & Randy Boehm

Beth Boness

Pam Borgman

Jean Bottcher

Brian & Bridget Brooks

Paul & Shelly Buchanan

Karyle Butcher

Ramona Cahn

Jane Carlsen

Brent & Barbara Chalmers

Bonnie B. Comfort, PhD

Sybilla Cook

Joseph & Lydah DeBin

Shelley Devine

Ken & Annie Edwards

Kendra Farris

Jinx Faulkner & Paul Koehler

Miriam Feuerle

Nancy Fishman

Liz Fuller

Gentlemen’s Book & Cigar Club

Joan Gray

Wendy Gutmann & Jeff Menashe

Alice Harra

Ann Hudner

Beth & Jerry Hulsman

Mary & Jim Hurley

David & Apricot Irving

Molly Jones

Aphra & Richard Katzev

Carla Kelley

Tom Kelly

Eric & Amy Manss

J.S. May

Carolyn McMurchie

Sally McPherson

Wendi & Sandy Menashe

Lee Montgomery

Madeline Moore

Paul Mueller

Gary Muller

Steven Neighorn

Grace Nielsen

Ray & Carol North

Philip Ottum

Nancy & Mike Phillips

Sharon & Bill Place

Nancy & Dick Ponzi

Jon Raymond

Bonnie & Pete Reagan

Dell L. Rhodes

Jane Sage & Tom Olbrich

John Shipley

Nell & William Simkoff

Ann Stinson

Barbara & Von Summers

Jeanne Tobey & Shannon Spence

Victor Trelawny

Debra Turner Hatcher

Wally VanValkenburg

Stephanie & John Volkman

Margaret & Robert Weil

Kim Weyler

Tina Wilson

$250 +

Donald Andersen

Kristin Anderson & Michael O’Brien

Linda & J. Scott Andrews

Tom Balmer & Mary Louise McClintock

Lee Barrett & Cornelia Frank

Steve & Sara Bass

Kim & Rosie Batcheller

Robert Bentley

Carmen Bernier-Grand & Jeremy Grand

Dick & Renee Binns

Eileen & Miroslav Bobek

Rebecca Boley

Anne M. Booth

Kay Bristow

Jennifer Bryan

Lisa & Royce Bullock

Joan K. Burns & Thomas B. Seibert

Patricia Cain

Nancy Chafin

Becky Chinn

John & Kathryn Cochran

Liana Colombo

Megan & Dan Conway

David Cress

Susan Denman

Tina Edlund & Sydney Edlund-Jermain

Shauna Ensminger

Wayne & Sandy Ericksen

Margianne & Arthur Erickson

Deb Flynn-Hanrahan & Tim Hanrahan

Nancy Frisch

Susan Fry & Sarah Felix

Morris J. Galen

Ryan Gannon

Tuni Garrigues

Bob Gass

Diana Gerding

Elaine Gilbert

Dennis Green & Chris Kashmir-Green

Nancy & Ronald Gronowski

Cecelia Hagen & Craig Spilman

Barb Hall

William & Martha Hall

Susan Hathaway-Marxer & Larry

Marxer

Diane Herrmann

Natalie Hirt

Molly Hiro

Robin & Brad Holmgren

Terri & Robert Hopkins

Rhonda Hughes

Judy & Hank Hummelt

Tom & Cherryl Janisse

Shobha Jetmalani

Gretchen & Todd Johnston

Patricia & Ward Jones

Bernie & Susan Kerosky

Donald & Suzanne Krahmer

Linda & Steve Leslie

F. Jackson & Niamh Lewis III

Crystal Ligouri

Mark Long & Elizabeth Schleuning

David & Suzi Maddocks

Amy & Neal Malagamba

Barbara & Michael Maloney

Marsie Martien

Robert Matheson

Katherine McCoy

Pete McDowell

Michael & Sylvia McGregor

Sarah McMullin

Brenda L. Meltebeke & Scott K. Stuart

Gabriel Mendoza

Susan Mersereau

Violet & Robert Metzler

Lora & Jim Meyer

Bill Miller

James & Elizabeth Mohr

Clint & Donna Moran

Katherine Moyd

Ernie Munch

John Murphy

Eliza & Alex Nelson

Jamie Newell

Paul & Lisa Nourigat

Katie O’Dell & Jeff Hockert

Corrine Oishi & Lindley Morton

Emma Oliver

Irja Orav

Nancy Orr

Brenda Parrish

Judy & Mark Peterman

Sandy Polishuk

Judy Rice

Rosemarie F. Rosenfeld

Chris Ruggles

Elizabeth Scott

Jill Schnitzer Edelson

Elizabeth R. Scully

Natalie & Joel Serber

Donna Shu & Tom Kane

Marjorie M. Smith

Stewart & Sue Smith

Christine Stone

David F. Stout & Sue Ann Higgens

Susan Strahorn

Brian Suher

Mary Szybist & Jerry Harp

Linda Taylor

Beverly Terry

George & Nancy Thorn

Joe Thurston

Kate Tuominen

Vera H. Vacek

Jean E. Verthein

Margaret Vining

Kate Wagle

Kristina Wallace Knight & Eric Wallace

Kristin & Nick Walrod

Dennie Wendt

Cindy Williams Gutierrez & Michael Kirshner

Janet Williamson

Christina Wilson

Daniel Wilson

Kathleen Wilson

Anne Woodbury

Tracey Wyatt & Tom Dummer

In Honor Of

Jill Abere and Ceil Huntington

Rick E. Bartow

Tom Booth and Megan Holden

Steven Ehlbeck

Mary Ann Farrior

A.G. Flynn and Jessica Letteney

Barbara Ginsberg

Thomas Hardy

Sara Henning-Stout

Nick Johnson

Paul King and Walter Jaffe

Anne Marie Kornelis

Keith Kornelis

Ursula K. Le Guin

Ruth Lundell

Susan Moore

Jane Anne Morton

Charles E. Nelson

Ron Paul

Edna Peak

Andrew Sterling

Ruth Wariner

Jackie Willingham

In Memory Of

Brian Booth Allen and Anita Brackensick

Brian Doyle Bob Gass

Luke Gerrity

Anne Marie Gonczy

Peter Irvin

Margaret Johnson

Morley M Knoll

Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Norman Phox

Support for Literary Arts is provided by:

Businesses

$20,000 +

$10,000 + A to Z Wineworks

Group of Insurance Companies

$5,000 +

Impact Fund

Family Foundation Greg & Allison Fredette Donor Advised Fund of MRG Foundation Susan Hammer Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Edna L. Holmes Literary Arts Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

and Emmy Lawrence Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation The Lion Glass Foundation

Family Fund Lora and Jim Meyer Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

Steve & Thanne Moore Family Charitable Fund

Multnomah County Cultural Coalition Neilsen Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust

The Roundhouse Foundation

Carol Schnitzer Lewis Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Darci and Charlie Swindells Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

Thank you to our generous event sponsors:

Community Partners

Albany Public Library, Annie Bloom’s Books, Back Fence PDX, Baker City Public Library, Betty’s Books (Baker City), BiPartisan Café, Broadway Books, Black Parent Initiative, Burnside Review, Cathedral Coffee, Chehalem Cultural Center (Newberg), Coffee House Press, Cosmic Monkey Comics, Dahl Family Youth Center, Donald E. Long School, Eastern Oregon University, Fishtrap, Ford Food & Drink, Four Way Books, Girls Inc., Glimmer Train Press, Graywolf Press, HarperCollins, Hillsdale Library Teen Council, Hollywood Library Teen Council, Hollywood Theatre, Incite, Independent Publishing Resource Center, Jefferson County Middle School (Madras), Klamath County Library (Klamath Falls), Lane Literary Guild, The Library Foundation, Linfield College, Live Wire Radio, Link Ville Theater (Klamath Falls), Live Wire Radio, Londer Learning Center, Los Porteños, McSweeney’s, Milagro Theater, Miss Zumstein Bakery & Coffee Shop, Molalla High School, The Moth, Multnomah County Library, Multnomah County Youth Commission, Newport Public Library, The New York Times, Northwest Film Center, The Old Church, Oregon Contemporary Theater , Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon Writers Colony, Oregon State University, Ooligan Press, Origins Cafe, Outside the Frame, Penguin Random House PDX Youth Poet Laureates, Poetry Press Week, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland Art Museum, Portland Center Stage, Portland Community College, Portland Jazz Festival, Portland State University MFA Program, Powell’s Books, Profile Theatre, Reynolds High School, Self Enhancement Inc., Sellwood-Moreland Library Teen Council, Tavern Books, The Rumpus, Tin House, Trillium Charter School, Umpqua Valley Arts Association, Unchaste Readers, Wordcrafters, Write Around Portland, Writers on the Edge (Newport)

Public School Principals

Petra Callin, Madison High School

Carol Campbell, Grant High School

Peyton Chapman, Lincoln High School

Brian Chatard, Wilson High School

Margaret Calvert, Jefferson High School

Ayesha Freeman, Cleveland High School

Lorna Fast Buffalo Horse, Alliance High School

Filip Hristic, Roosevelt High School

Michael Schaefer, Gresham High School

Alexa Pearson, Metropolitan Learning Center

Juanita Valder, Franklin High School

Curtis Wilson, Benson High School

Public School Librarians

Paige Battle, Linda Campillo, Sandra Childs, Kiva Liljequist, Leigh Morlock, Bryan Smith, Ann Stinson, Nancy Sullivan, Stephanie Thomas, Betsy Tighe

Public School Teachers

Margaret Appel, Chloe Avila, Brooke Bettencourt, Andrea Binder, Scott Blevins, Matt Boyer, Teresa Brandt, Susie Brighouse, Ilsa Bruer, Gene Brunak, Elizabeth Buelow, Alan Burnce, Natalie Burton, Breanne Carlisle, Lauren Carrier, Santha Cassell, Ellie Collum, Lillie Craw, Steve Curley, Bryan Dykman, Jennifer Edelson, Amanda Jane Elliot, Daniel Fredgant, Kelly Gomes, Alex Gordin, Paisley Green, Heather Gunderson, Crystal Hanson, Emily Hensley, Tara Hieggelke, Keith Higbee, Keri Hughes, Jamie Incorvia, Melissa Kennybrew, Julia Kirkpatrick, Stephanie Klein, Stephen Lambert, Eric

Levine, Shannon McCarl, David Moss, Michaela McNairy, Renee Mitchell, Doina Moldovan, Julie Morris, Jamila Osman, Elena Overold, Courtney Palmer, Mariniah Prendergast, Eric Pohl, Mary Rechner, Mary Rodeback, Joy Root, Charles Sanderson, Bryan Smith, Norman Stremming, Jordan Suderman, Shawn Swanson, Amy Taramasso, Debra Tavares, Frank Thomas, Trevor Todd, Dana Vinger, Deb Wheelbarger, Rachel Wilczewski, Elisa Wong, Alethea Work, M. Zena

Interns

Kia Addison, Sienna Ballou, Cassie Duncanson, Meli Osanya, Lauren Sheck

Volunteers

Jacqueline Adair Jones, Val Adell, Deborah Ainza, Beverly Aldinger, Christian Alexio, Stephanie Allen, Erika Almskaar, Aloha High School: National Honor Society , Maggie Anderson, Sheri Anderson, Stephanie André, Jen Andres, Beth Appert, Sue Armitage, E.V. Armitage, Britt Ashley, Rania Ayoub, Beth Azar, Kim Bache, Lisa Baldasar, Brie Barbee, Susan Bard, Mary Ann Barham, David Barnard, Lisa Bauso, Heidi Bazille, Ellen Beier, Abbie Bennett, Carmen Bernier Grand, Emily Biggins, Jessica Blackman, David Blanchard, Jenny Blenk, Sarah Bonilla, Ana Borel, Sarah Borsten, Jane Braunger, Maggie Brees, Jim Breithaupt, Brittany Brick, Terence Brierly, Cheryl Brock, Rachel Burdon, Luke Burke, Stephen Burke, Mark Butterfield, Cecily Caceu, Daniel Caicedo, Bridget Carrick, Lauren Carrier, Nancy Carter, Monika Cassel, Margaret Cassinelli, Ian Caton, Audrey Cerchiara, Kathryn Charlton, Morgan Chen, Adie Cheyne, Donna Childs, Lynne Chowning, Stephanie Christianson, Susan Climo, Karlee Coe, Cathrine Collins, Liana Colombo, Sheralee Connors, Anne Conway, Sybilla Cook, Jennifer Cruikshank, Jonathan Cruz, Jami Cruz, Gina Cumming, Tracy Cutts, Sele D’Amato , Saralina Damico Erlandson, Cydney Dashkoff, Ava Dean, Lauren DeLuca, Cameron Denney, Jennifer Denrow, Gina Devincenzi, Martha Dixon, Melissa Dodson, Holly Dolan, Terry Dolan, Katie Dominguez, Cynthia Doran, Asha Dornfest, Beatrice Drumwright, Viveca Duazo, Veronica Duczek, John James Dudek, Xenia Dylag, Elaine Earle, Deborah Edward, Daniel Elder, Beth Elliot, Deborah Elliott, Candia Elliott, Grant Engrav, Jason Eversman, Keaven Fadness, Judy Farmer, Kendra Farris, Hannah Fattor, Rita Fawcett, Ben Ficklin, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Corinne Fletcher, Whitney Florea, Carrie Floyd, Daniel Fogg, Joan Fondell, Austin Fontenot, Gabrielle Foulkes, Tracey Franco, Kathy French, Patricia Frobes, Radiah Gaines, Niki Ganong, Eva Garber, Colin Gardner, Kate Garklavs, Maureen Geraghty, Amanda Gersh, Robin Giangrande, Lindsay Goldman, Marialicia Gonzalez, Jerry Goodstein, Laura Gordon, Cristen Graham, Crystal Granger, Brett Greenberg, Robert Greene, Carol Greenough, Heidi Greenwald, Carol Greist, Daryl Grenz, Patti Haack, Jen Hagan, Brett Hagar, Kirsty Hamilton, Romaine Harris, Ally Harris, Sue Harvey, Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Monica Hay, Kaitlin Hecker, Lucy Heil, Kristen Held, Anne Hendren, Caroline Henry, Santos Herrera, Alyssa Herzinger, Carol Hickman, Kathleen Hobbs, Juliet Hochman, Susan Hodge, Renée Hoffman, Marcia Hollander, Lori Hood, Melissa Howes, Jacqueline Hoyt, Kelley Hutchison, Nicole Isaakson, Anna Jackson, Marissa James, Elizabeth Johnson, Morgan Josef, Joanne Kahn, Robert Katsuno, Tristan Katz, Kelsey Kava, Lois Keiser, Chamisa Kellogg, Shaune Kelly, Karah Kemmerly, Kyle Kerezsi, Michelle Kerin, Ahimsa Kerp, Franklin KeyClub, Hannah Kim, Nichole Kimoto, Rob King, Kayla King, Martha Kinsella, Allison Kirkpatrick, Samantha

Kitchen, Brooke Klein, Jenn Knudsen, Bess Korey, Vesna Kostur, Kevin Kreiger, Ariel Kusby, Jane Kyle, Amy Lachenmeier, Missy Ladygo, Karen Laird, Patricia Lake, Marte Lamb, Ann Lasocki, Brandi Laubscher, Maureen Lauran, Chris Lawson, Anna Learn, Cooper Lee, Brandon Lenzi, Anita Lesser, Andrea Lewis, Muriel Lezak, Lori Lieberman, Barbara Liles, Ruth Lizotte, Luna Loganayagam, Amy Lore, Julia Lowman, Connor Lucey, Rebecca MacGregor, Christina Malango, Jane Manchee, Jo Mancuso, Mary Manning, Lizzie Martinez, Emily Matis, Kelley McCaffery, Kayla McClanahan, Alyssa McClure, Marcia McDonald, Carolyn McKinney, Marie McMahon, Heather McMahon Wadia, Audra McNamee, Maya McOmie, Katie McRae, Mary Mears-Haskell, Kate Medred, Lisa Meech, Sarah Meilinger, Bonnie Meltzer, Nicole Metildi, Haylee Metzner, Frances Meyers, Anastasia Mickelson, Leah Middleton, Justine Middleton, Terra Miezwa, M Carolyn Miller, Tori Miller, Kristin Miller, Tara Miller, Kirsten Miller, Claire Miller Cain, Stacey Mills, Tara Miner, Lauren Mittelman, Grace Moen, Shannon Moffett, Jan Molinaro, MaryLynne Monroe, Gary Monzon, Ann Moorhead, William Moorhead, Aliera Morasch, Melissa Morgan, Michelle Morihara, Marianne Morris, Sophia Moser, Anna Munoz, Muslim Education Trust Susan Myers, Larissa Nakagawa, Jaye Nasir, Donna Needham, Jan Nichols, Nicky NicholsonKlingerman, Meaghan O’Connell, Kelsie O’Dea, Erin O’Shaughnessy, Julie Ocken, Johanna Ogden, Linh Oliver, Tori Padellford, Lyn Palmer, Leah Pancheri, Karen Papania, Lauren Paredes, Claudine Paris, Nicole Parisi-Smith, Erin Parsons, Ryan Patterson, Cynthia Peele, Diana Penley, Celeste Perez, Caitlin Peterkin, Mark Peterman, Amanda Peters, Rosanne Petersen, Teaghan Phillips, Jennifer Pi, Don Pihl, Megan Poole, Vicky Porter, Jonathan Potkins, Matthew Preston, Courtney Rae, Abbie Raeke, Yashshree Raj Bisht, Patricia Raley, Claire Ramaley, Rachel Ratner, Lisa Reeve, Sharron Reichle, Caroline Reul, Jennie Rice, Arthur Rich, Katy Riker, Renee Ripley, Alexandria Robinson, Kristen Rogers, Marketa Rogers, Christa Rohrbach, Pema Rojas, Arielle Ross, Brynn Rova, Kyna Rubin, Marilyn Rudin, Melissa Rush, Justin Russell, Hoang Samuelson, Liz Sandoval, Pamela Santos, Galina Sanzharlinskaya, Kevin Sasse, Elke Schoen, Emily Schultz, SEEDS , Susan Schwartz, Sheila Seitz, Natalie Serber, Dahla Seroussi, Devora Shamah, Jonathan Shapiro, Nick Shea, Courtney Sherwood, Bob Silverman, Juliette Simonds, Teri Simpson, Vincent Singer, Siri Smith, Rebecca Smolen, Joe Soldati, Alan Soles, Sophie Soprani, Katherine Sosa, Kari Stanley, Jeff Stookey, Kristen Stowell, Eve Street, Sarah Studenmund, Carolyn Supinka, Diane Sussman, Roz Sutherland, Hailey Swain, Tracy Swensen, Kathryn Tarries, Jim Tata, Nannette Taylor, Michael Taylor, Diane Terrett, Catherine Theriault, Greg Thomas, Jamie Treffehn, Celeste Trimble, Jess Vacek, Maria Vargas, Debra Vinikour, Valeriia Vlasenko, Claudia von Hammerstein, Jessica Wadleigh, Jan Waldmann, Annie Walsh, Peggy Walsh, Laura Walsh, Judy Ward, Zach Ward, Niscelle Ward, Scotti Warren, Laurie Washburne, Maia Watkins, Bob Watkins, Patricia Weathers, Janie Webster, Margaret Weddell, Sarah West, Jackie Wetzel, Sarah Wexler, Lucky WhitburnThomas, Chuck Wiley, Kate Wilkinson, Ann Williams, Marlena Williams, Kira Wilson, Sophie Wilson, Caitlin Woelfel, Timothy Wood, Susan Woodside, Joe Worth, Krystal Wu, Tracey Wyatt, Judy Yablonski, Megan Yarck, Sharon Yee, Rosy Zavala, Tommy Ziemer, Lisa Zuniga, Gail Zuro

Joan Cirillo & Roger Cooke

Edwards Lienhart Family Foundation

Angeli Law Group LLC, Arlene Schnitzer, Bank of the West, Commerce Bank, Davis Wright Tremaine, First Republic Bank, Hoffman Construction, KinderCare Education, LLC, Marylhurst University, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP, OHSU Foundation, Oregon Film, Pomegranate, Halle & Rick Sadle, Salt & Straw, Sasquatch Books, Dennis Steinman, Tonkon Torp, TooFar Media, ZGF Architects

We are grateful for the generous in-kind support provided by local businesses:

DENNIS Uniform, Elephants Delicatessen, Heathman Hotel, First Congregational United Church of Christ, María Lisa Johnson Consulting, Northwest Film Center, The Old Church, Oregon Historical Society, Pastini, Provenance Hotels, PosterGarden, Triumph Expo & Events Inc., Whiting Foundation

A LOOK AHEAD

UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEWS

THIS SUMMER:

We just announced our 2018-2019 season of Writing Classes and Delve Readers Seminars , featuring more than 30 classes and 25 seminars. Register for classes on our website and sign up to receive our class brochure.

COMING THIS FALL:

On September 6, we will announce this year’s lineup for the Portland Book Festival. Tickets and workshop registration will be on sale at this time. We hope to see you downtown at the Festival on November 10, 2018.

LOOKING AHEAD TO SPRING:

Plan to join our special events, including Everybody Reads, the 2019 Oregon Book Awards Ceremony, and the annual Verselandia! City-wide Youth Poetry Slam.

Find a full calendar of events at literary-arts.org

FIND YOUR STORY

Get involved with Literary Arts and help us engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

VOLUNTEER

Our programming is made possible with the help of those who generously donate their time to Literary Arts. Here are some ways to join our community of volunteers:

• Offer support at Portland Arts & Lectures and our special events as a volunteer or intern.

• Assist high school students in preparing their college and scholarship application essays through the College Essay Mentoring project.

• Help out at the Portland Book Festival before and during the event on Saturday, November 10, 2018. More than 300 volunteers make this event possible.

• Be a part of our annual fundraiser, Bookmark: A Benefit for Literary Arts on September 28, 2018 and help ensure our guests enjoy a memorable evening.

Sign up at literary-arts.org/volunteer.

STAY CONNECTED

Visit literary-arts.org/calendar for a full list of events and initiatives.

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter at literary-arts.org/enews.

Join our social network on Facebook.com/literaryarts and on Twitter and Instagram @literaryarts.

Stop by our community center at 925 SW Washington Street in Portland.

Samiya Bashir 2018 Oregon Book Award Winner in Poetry for Field Theories

Zeroth law

When leaning on the backyard beam beneath a full wolf moon and my slippers shiver under my nightdress as I happen upon a reason for waking call it a snowflake

a belly-flop blue jay or even my own small toe peaking through a not-yet hole as it fissures into my slipper’s future and I’m not out for a jog or to find a misplaced piece of scoundrel lover

but to marry my morning coffee to an old cigarette to the new blue-gray light of an icy pacific year in mid-set

See how they swinghold hands and raise the sun? Hey, you! Bluebird! Whatever will we do —exhale—with all these merciful gifts?

OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE READERS, SUPPORT WRITERS, AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION WITH GREAT LITERATURE.