Bi-Monthly By Ryan #7

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you with my head above the clouds, which is usually how I am writing, though this time I am literally flying through the air as I write, returning home from the first annual BIPOC Adoptee Conference in Portland, Oregon. On Friday night, I hosted the opening night event for the conference, which was a mix of scheduled performances intermixed with open mic readings. The event was truly magical, and I was grateful for the opportunity to facilitate and host the evening for my community of Black and Brown adoptees.

I am still processing my experiences and will have many thoughts to share in the future. I spent the weekend immersed in and surrounded by community, most of whom I had only met virtually prior to this weekend. Though I did not get to talk with everyone, I basked in the energy of everyone's presence, all of whom were Black and Brown adoptees!

As I facilitating and hosting the three-hour long event, I wrote a poem inspired by the evening, which I read to close out our time together. I wrote a piece using a similar technique at the Guided Letter Writing Workshop Workshop and Pop-Up Open Mic which I shared in Bi-Monthly By Ryan #4 on Juneteenth of this year, and do so at all of the in-person open mics events that I facilitate and host. I will share the piece I wrote on Friday in an upcoming newsletter, once I have time to edit and revise for flow.

Here is parting gift of a video of me reading my piece “What Happens When I Hear Music.” I shared this piece at the rainboWEB hosted by wren taube. Thank you for reading and stay tuned!

Love, Ryan <3

linktr.ee/ryanartes