An Evening Without: Giving Voice to the Excluded

This is a group portrait I shot last night. Some of this country’s best known writers and an actor read from the works of writers and activists who had, at one time or another, been barred from or pushed out of the United States because of their views or perceived associations.

Participating in this event honoring the First Amendment will be:
Charles Coe, author of the volume of poetry Picnic on the Moon;
Martín Espada, author of 8 books of poetry including the recent Republic of Poetry;
Cathi Hanauer, author of My Sister’s Bones, Sweet Ruin and editor of The Bitch in the House;
Daniel Jones, author of After Lucy and editor of The Bastard on the Couch;
Elinor Lipman, author of 8 novels, most recently My Latest Grievance;
Roland Merullo, author of 6 books including Revere Beach Boulevard and Golfing with God;
Lesléa Newman, author of 50 books including Jailbait and Heather has Two Mommies;
Floyd Patterson II, musician and actor in one-man play about the life of Paul Robeson;
Pat Schneider, author of 9 books including Writing Alone & With Others and Another River;
Suzanne Strempek Shea, author of 5 novels among them Lily of the Valley and 2 memoirs;
Barry Werth, author of 31 Days, The Scarlet Professor, Billion-Dollar Molecule and Damages;
Jane Yolen, author of over 280 children’s books, works of fantasy and science fiction.