On Friday, June 29, Poetry & Art Series 2018 presents a reading by authors from the 2017-’18 San Diego Poetry Annual, featuring Ameerah Holliday, Jill G. Hall, Robt O’Sullivan Schleith, Chris Wakefield, Olga Garcia, Billiekai Boughton, and additional contributors published in the anthology. All writers will share their poem or poems from the new collection. Hosted by Michael Klam. DJ Gill Sotu will provide music and sound throughout the show.

This interactive arts and culture experience will include beverages, snacks and time to mingle. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Members are free, nonmembers $6 at the door. The event takes place in the San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park.

AUTHOR DETAILS:

Ameerah Holliday is a dancer and poet from San Diego, Calif. She received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from San Diego State University. Holliday currently serves as editorial director for the San Diego Poetry Annual and assistant editor for Kids! San Diego Poetry Annual.

Jill G. Hall is inspired to write about nature’s awe, love gone good and bad as well as life’s ironies. Her poems and personal narratives have appeared in a variety of publications including A Year in Ink, The Avocet, and Wild Women, Wild Voices. The Black Velvet Coat and The Silver Shoes, her historical novels, are published by She Writes Press. Hall was a member of Steve Kowit’s Sunday at Liberty Station R & C Group and she credits him for encouraging her to submit, submit, submit! She is a past board president of San Diego Writers, Ink and helps curate artwork in their galleries. In her spare time she enjoys spending time in nature, practicing yoga and tap dancing.

Robt O’Sullivan Schleith is one of SDPA’s regional editors. He hosts the monthly Poets INC (Inland North County) reading at the Escondido Municipal Gallery.

Chris Wakefield is a poet and singer/songwriter currently living in Kensington, San Diego. His solo album “Steelyards” is free online at chriswakefield.bandcamp.com. Click for more info.

Olga Garcia, poet, translator, editor and publisher, is regional editor of SDPA’s bilingual edition.

Billiekai Boughton is a U.S. Army Veteran and the chair of the SDVC Women’s Network. Boughton is a graduate of USD (Go Toreros!), where she obtained her master’s degree in leadership. She received her bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in 16th century literature and contemporary poetry from the University of California, Berkeley. Boughton was a Student Teacher Poet for June Jordan’s Poetry for the People at UC Berkeley, has poems published in numerous anthologies, and has had two chapbooks published. She volunteers teaching poetry writing workshops, editing the veteran’s section of the San Diego Poetry Annual, as a life coach, mentor, and as a veteran advocate. Because of Boughton’s service to the veteran community, she was honored as UCSD’s 2013 and 2010 Veteran of the Year and as the 2014 California District 79 Veteran of the Year.

San Diego Poetry Anthology Writers: Authors published in this year’s SDPA will read one of their pieces from the collection. The San Diego Poetry Annual is now part of the permanent collection of every college and university library in the San Diego region, as well as the San Diego County Library system, the San Diego City Library and the libraries of individual cities, including Carlsbad, Oceanside and Escondido. Copies of each edition of the San Diego Poetry Annual are donated in the name of contributing poets to public and college libraries in San Diego and to select libraries nationally. The annual is published by Garden Oak Press, in association with the San Diego Entertainment & Arts Guild (SDEAG), a 501(c)(3) local arts nonprofit.

CONTACT AND LINKS:

Please contact host Michael Klam with any questions: 619-957-3264 (cell) or 619-236-0011 (museum). Visit SDAI online at sandiego-art.org.

Support and sponsorship by San Diego Entertainment & Arts Guild, The San Diego Poetry Annual, Puna Press, San Diego Writers, Ink, Poetry International, San Diego Art Institute, and Jihmye Poetry.

Cover Photo (SDPA Annual) Credit: Cie Ja