“TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW FOR SURE”—A TRIBUTE READING FOR DOROTHY ALLISON

“The horror of class stratification, racism, and prejudice is that some people begin to believe that the security of their families and communities depends on the oppression of others, that for some to have good lives there must be others whose lives are truncated and brutal.”—Dorothy Allison, Skin, Firebrand Books, 1994.

Dorothy Allison was a queer icon for decades and also one of our community’s brightest lights and strongest voices. Dorothy stood as a beacon of hope and wisdom, which she shared with the world in her writing. Raised as a bastard out of Carolina, Dorothy fiercely fought against stigma and shame, and fought for the underprivileged. Her work brilliantly explored the connections and intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality. She was also a long time supporter and friend of Saints & Sinners, was in our first Hall of Fame class of Literary Saints, and participated whenever she was able. It’s almost impossible to imagine Saints and Sinners without Dorothy. She was also a favorite TWFest speaker, loved for her honesty, quick humor, and solid advice for aspiring writers. We hope you will join us for this tribute reading for a lesbian literary legend.

Hosted by Jewelle Gomez, with additional readings by Pat Brady, Greg Herren, Thomas Keith, Susan Larson, and Elisabeth Nonas.