Two phenomenal poet-activists join us for a reading and meaningful conversation about identity and social action at our June Gathering.

Abe Louise Young is a poet, social justice activist and educator for change. Her work appears widely in journals such as The Nation, Narrative, Feminist Wire, Witness, New Letters, Massachusetts Review and others. She holds degrees from Smith College, Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin, where she was awarded a James A. Michener Fellowship from the Michener Center for Writers. She’s the author of three chapbooks of poetry, including the recently-released Poem for a Friend Growing Lighter and Lighter from Dancing Girl Press. Abe was nominated Best Activist in Austin 2017 by the Austin Chronicle, and has been recognized for her consequential work on social justice projects, oral histories and youth empowerment.

Lilli Hime is an undergraduate at St. Edward’s University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English Writing. She has served on the submission review board for the school’s award-winning creative arts journal, Sorin Oak Review, for two years. She believes art is the bedrock for empathy and understanding, and seeks to utilize it for social change by creating spaces where lesser-heard voices can be heard. Her work stems from her identity as an immigrant, a woman of color, a member of the LGBTQ community, and a fellow person. She is also an Editorial Intern at The Austin Chronicle.