HOST

L’lerrét Ailith is a Black trans writer, digital organizer, and storyteller originally from Baltimore, MD. She currently serves as the Echoing Ida Manager for Forward Together where she contributes to the development of a comprehensive media hub to foster and uplift the radical vision of Black narrative strategists. She got her start in organizing in Chicago as the Communications Manager for BYP100 where she was integral in building out a comprehensive communications infrastructure to support Black queer feminist youth organizing. After years of honing her skills through the Reframe Mentorship Program and working within the movement for Black Lives, she then moved to Los Angeles and served as the Communications Coordinator for the Black AIDS Institute before joining the Forward Together team. She is deeply devoted to cultural work and relies on writing and acting as her resistive mediums.

PARTICIPANTS

Hunter Shackelford (they/she) is a Black fat Southern storyteller, cultural artist, and gender shapeshifter. Hunter is a Data Futurist at the body liberation organization Free Figure Revolution, and the creator of the Fat Census. Read more of their work at HunterAshleigh.com

Mia S. Willis is a Black performance poet from Charlotte, North Carolina. Their work has been featured by Palette Poetry, The Offing, The Minnesota Review, homology lit, Narrative
Northeast, Slamfind, and others. Mia is also the author of monster house. (Jai-Alai Books), the 2018 winner of the Cave Canem Foundation’s Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Their debut full-length poetry collection is forthcoming. Connect with Mia on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram (@poetinthehat).

SA Smythe (they/them) is a poet, translator, and assistant professor of Black European literary & cultural studies and Black trans poetics at UCLA. They are deeply invested in the coalitional project of Black life, Black study, and relishing other nonbinary experiences. Smythe is writing a collection of poetry, titled proclivity, about trans embodiment, emancipation, and a familial history of Black migration (between Jamaica, Britain, and Costa Rica). Their poetry and essays have been published or are forthcoming in Stranger’s Guide, We Have Never Asked Permission to Sing: Poetry Celebrating Trans Resilience, The Johannesburg Salon, Catapult, Feminist Wire, okayafrica, and elsewhere. @essaysmythe | essaysmythe.com

Originally from Cleveland, OH., Vita E. has been surrounded by the power of art since childhood. From then on, they made a pledge to use the art that inspired them to influence thought, change, and freedom to exist without apology. Vita’s passion as a Black Trans Femme artist has led to many milestones. She’s recently finished a summer role as percussionist and mentor for Creede Repertory Theatre, and drummer for the hip-hop musical, Once Upon a Rhyme, and the new musical, Medusa. She recently made her Off-Broadway debut as Violet in the world premiere musical, The Secret Life of Bees. Their response track to Janelle Monae, Hell Y’all Ain’t Talmbout, was included in Source Magazines, “10 Song Soundtracking the Black Lives Matter Movement.”

Wriply Marie Bennet is a proud self-taught illustrator and activist/organizer, born and raised in Ohio. Her art and organizing started with the Trans Women of Color Collective and expanded when she traveled to Ferguson to stand with the community of Mike Brown and remind the world that all Black lives Matter. Wriply is also well known as part of the “Black Pride 4” — 4 Black queer and trans folks who were arrested for protesting LGBTQ white supremacy at the Stonewall 2017 Pride parade in Columbus, Ohio.

As an artist her work expresses the perseverance, power, strength, resilience, grace and beauty of Black Trans Women, Fems, G.N.C and Queer folks, and sheds light on the lack of national outcry surrounding an epidemic of Black trans death in America. Her art has been used in social justice campaigns, fundraisers and gallery shows, and made in the documentary film MAJOR!.

Xoài Phạm is a Vietnamese trans person who descends from a long legacy of warriors, healers, and shamans. Her life’s work is in dreaming new futures where we are all limitless, and she makes those dreams a reality as a poet, screenwriter, editor, and collaborative educator. Learn more about her work here: xoai.co. Catch her on Instagram @xoai.pham and on Twitter @xoaiwrites.