WE (TOO) ARE PHILLY
&
WE (TOO) ARE PHILLY &
Cherry blossoms in bloom stand next to a lush green tree in Center City Philadelphia, framed by a purple background, and representing our vibrant and diverse Philadelphian communities.
ABOUT
We (Too) Are Philly (WTAP) was a summer poetry festival in six parts, organized by the 2018-2019 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Roque Salas Rivera, and poets Raena Shirali, Ashley Davis, and Kirwyn Sutherland. The organizers were inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too”—specifically, the lines, “Tomorrow, / I’ll be at the table / When company comes…They’ll see how beautiful I am…I, too, am America.” Historically, there has been a racial power dynamic in which white audiences consume black and brown art. This was not that kind of festival. We sought to populate the metaphorical “table” of our festival with the voices that comprise the real America, the real Philadelphia. This is a sanctuary city; this festival was a sanctuary space.
ICE and fascism have no right to terrorize our loved ones; our authors’ works maintained that truth.
FEATURED AUTHORS
Each event featured of poets of color who have demonstrated a strong commitment to fighting white supremacy and collaborating with local communities to foster shared creative spaces. More than 30 poets from across the country were in attendance as readers, and each event ended with a featured performance by a Philadelphian author. We chose to highlight local authors to honor Philly’s legacy of artistic innovation. Each reading also featured at least one poet working in more than one language. All languages, too, are America.
FESTIVAL LOCATIONS & PARTNERS
The WTAP organizers researched potential locations for these readings, maintaining open dialogue with community organizations and consciously considering the history of each space where events were held. We carefully considered how those spaces relate to surrounding, often rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, as well as the organizations’ outreach into the communities of color they serve. We met our stated goal of having not just poets of color performing, but also diverse audiences
in attendance—seated at the metaphorical “table.”
Gratitude to the following local organizations for making WTAP possible: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, The Free Library of Philadelphia, The Quaker Hub for Peace & Justice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and Pentridge Station.
Finally, immeasurable thanks to Roque Salas Rivera, whose tenure as Poet Laureate of Philadelphia will forever be associated with the resounding success of this festival.
WTAP IN THE PRESS
“For most immigrants, coming here means expecting all kinds of challenges, including a pressure to assimilate
by speaking English. By providing a setting
where English shares a space with other languages,
we can momentarily tip the scales
and encourage a culture that respects difference.”
Roque Salas Rivera
The Philadelphia Citizen
"I’d like folks to know that these are spaces where overt discussion, contemplation, and wrestling is taking place, with issues that confront us all. We (Too) Are Philly
feels, to me, like a hybrid between a festival and a POC conference. These are our common spaces.
Come heal with us.'”
Raena Shirali
Broad Street Review
Event poster for We (Too) Are Philly’s fourth event of 2018—Schools, Not Prisons. Event held July 12 from 7-10pm at The Friends Center, located at 1501 Cherry Street, and featuring authors Oskar Castro, Cortney Lamar Charleston, Kenning JP Garcia, Itiola Jones, and local featured poet Becky Birtha.
JUNE 26. WHOSE SCHOOLS? OUR SCHOOLS!
Friends Free Library of Germantown.
Ginger Ko
Kai Davis
Porsha Olayiwola
Marwa Helal
Nabila Lovelace
Feature Poet: Trapeta Mayson
JULY 26. SOLIDARITY BEFORE CITIZENSHIP.
Thomas Paine Plaza’s “Farm for the City.”
Angel Dominguez
Fei Hernandez
Paige Quiñones
Jayson P. Smith
Featured Poet: Nikki Lopez
WTAP EVENTS
JUNE 3. WE (TOO) ARE PHILLY LAUNCH.
Pentridge Station.
Marcelo Hernandez Castillo
Vincent Toro & Grisel Acosta
Kassidi Jones
Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela
Denice Frohman
Featured Poet: Warren Longmire
JUNE 11. PHILLY COMMONS.
Lillian Marrero Library.
David Caleb Acevedo
Irène Mathieu
Aricka Foreman
Featured Poet: Husnaa Hashim
JULY 12. SCHOOLS, NOT PRISONS.
Friends Center.
Oskar Castro
Cortney Lamar Charleston
Kenning JP Garcia
Itiola Jones
Featured Poet: Becky Birtha
AUGUST 12. WHOSE PARKS? OUR PARKS!
Norris Square Park.
Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
Hanif Abdurraqib
Cynthia Dewi Oka
Ana Portnoy
WTAP Organizers: Roque Salas Rivera, Raena Shirali, Kirwyn Sutherland, & Ashley Davis
Featured Poet: Yolanda Wisher