Right Here, Right Now

Workshop Returns January 11th!

bosston — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:23:51 +0000

As of Wednesday, January 11th, the Wednesday night writing workshop will be back up and running! Instead of meeting every week, we will be on an every other week scheduled for the time being. So future dates are: Wednesday, January 11th and 25th, Wednesday February 8th and 22nd. Toni is very much looking forward to seeing all of you again, and sharing the evening with you and your stories!

Some notes: For the time being, Wednesday Night Workshop will be limited to those who have previously attended. You should have received an email with some new guidelines. Workshop begins at 6PM. Please remember to arrive no sooner than 5:45.

Entering 2012 With More Strength and Much Gratitude

bosston — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:23:49 +0000

Toni is thankful for the healing that his sabbatical has offered.

Please stay tuned for ways to support Toni’s important work in our communities.

The first open mic: 20 readers + $170

bosston — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:59:26 +0000

Thursday December 1st marked the start of Write Here Write Now’s new Open Mic reading series for queer writers and allies. The launch was vibrant, fun, and full of good energy and good writing. Twenty readers read their work, including memoir, fiction, and poetry, raising $170 towards the pro bono work of Write Here Write Now.

We look forward to growing this event, and to welcoming new readers and listeners to every bi-monthly gathering. If you are a writer, please consider sharing your work in this friendly, supportive community space! If you enjoy hearing people read their work, please join the audience!

The next Open Mic will take place on Thursday Feb. 2 at 7:00. at Unity Church in Somerville. Each Open Mic is a fundraiser for Write Here Write Now, as well as for an organization sponsoring a bake sale table.

We’re building Right Here. Right Now! Community raises $3,000 match!

bosston — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:39:20 +0000

Congratulations! We have reached our first goal of raising $3,000. Thanks to all of your generosity and support, the match grant has now been released and we have raised $6,199 toward our $10,000 goal. All of us behind the scenes at Build Right Here Right Now would like to send our deep and heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported this effort so far—by giving, by re-posting our updates, by becoming a fan on Facebook, for sharing your testimonials, and for offering up your time and talents. It truly takes each of us and every gift to build Right Here. Right Now.

Write Here Write Now Open Mic Opens

bosston — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:07:12 +0000

The very first Write Here Write Now Open Mic is happening Thursday, December 1st, 7-9 p.m., at Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville, MA! We welcome the queer and queer-allied community to join us as we create and hold space for folks to read their own words.

A sign-up sheet will be available at the event for 5-minute reading slots. People are encouraged to bring flyers for the community table; there will be baked goods for sale. We ask that you help us make this a low-scent event by not wearing perfume/cologne or other scented products.

This is an all-gender event for queer/genderqueer/transgender folks and their allies. The $5-$20 sliding scale door donation will help fund WHWN’s pro bono work within the community.

Questions? Want to volunteer? whwnOpenMic@gmail.com

“Take Me There” Release Party + Fundraiser Featured in Lambda Literary!

bosston — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:57:53 +0000

Many of you joined us at our “Take Me There” reading and fundraiser celebrating the release of Tristan Taormino’s groundbreaking new collection of transgender and genderqueer erotica.

We are excited that Lambda Literary has featured the release party and is helping to tell the story of our community effort to support Toni. Please read their article, like it on Facebook and share with friends and colleagues. Help us build Right Here. Right Now.

November

bosston — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:51:30 +0000

Dear Folks,

In the Roman Catholic tradition, November 1st is celebrated as the Solemnity of All Saints, and so it seems more than fitting that I am sending this letter to all of you. I want to start this letter with a quote:

“And all of the people in our lives are saints; it is just that some of them have day jobs and most will never have feast days named for
them.”
— Robert Benson

This is to say that I want to thank each and every one of you for being such wonderful saints for me and for WHWN’s service and ministry! Thank you for your generosity, your staunch support, and for your commitment to me and my work. I actually can imagine what this last month would have been like without your strong hearts supporting me, and it is not pretty. So instead, today I celebrate All Saints in the name of all of you, saints, each and every one.

And as this new month opens, I would like to make my November commitment to all of you. Thanks to your generosity and support, I will be able to take November as a month of building on October’s rest so that I can move into regaining my stamina and strength. This is a tremendous blessing. Thank you.

Although I will miss the Wednesday night writing workshops, and my individual work with many of you, November will also be a time of refocusing and refining WHWN, and my ministry within it. With the help of a newly developing advisory group, I am looking forward to returning to work with much greater clarity and focus, and with a newly recovered drive and ability. This, too, is a blessing, for which I am deeply grateful.

Thank you.

Toni

Thanks for last night

bosston — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:38:07 +0000

We had a tremendous and powerful evening of community building, hot readings, and successful fundraising Thursday night at the “Take Me There” Reading & Fundraiser. The community donated $625—almost enough to sponsor one community member’s FULL YEAR of workshop attendance, … Continue reading →

“Take Me There” Reading & Fundraiser

bosston — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:41:54 +0000

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 7–9 p.m.

Join editor Tristan Taormino and local contributors as they read their stories from Take Me There, Tristan’s groundbreaking new collection of transgender and genderqueer fiction. Readers include co-editor of Pinned Down By Pronouns Toni Amato, Supervillianz author Alicia Goranson, poet/performing artist/activist Rachel K. Zall, and writer/teacher/organizer Anna Watson.

This event is a fundraiser for the Write Here, Write Now TGQ Scholarship Fund: Tristan has created a scholarship specifically for low income trans and genderqueer identified writers to attend workshops and receive coaching services at Write Here, Write Now, Toni Amato’s organization for LGBTI writers.

Location: Unity Church, 6 William Street, Somerville, MA 02144

Public Transportation: Davis Square (Red Line T Stop)
Walk 4 blocks on College Avenue toward Powderhouse Circle. Unity Somerville is on the left at the intersection of William Street and College Avenue.

Sponsored by: MadFemmePride and New England Leather Association

Suggested donation: $10-20, but no one turned away for lack of funds, and we welcome people to pay whatever they can. 100% of proceeds will be donated to the scholarship fund.

Eat, Sleep, and Give. Right Here. Right Now.

bosston — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:36:16 +0000

Might as well have fun while you support Right Here. Right Now.: Spend a weekend at Le Vatout Bed & Breakfast and they will donate every penny you pay for lodging to Toni’s cause. Le Vatout is less than three hours from Boston, right in the middle of Midcoast Maine, but well off the beaten path. Owned and operated by an artist and a writer, it is not just a bed and breakfast, it’s a creative experience—from the quirky interior to the wild and romantic gardens, the wide ranging conversations and the unbelievable food.

The fine print: The owners, Linda and Dominika, are old friends of Toni’s (Dominika is also a client) and hosts of his annual writing retreat. This offer is unlimited—the more the merrier—but can only happen during the off-season, November 1 through May 31. Special diets, vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian etc., are cheerfully accommodated, but please note there are a dog and a cat on the premises, so if you have severe allergies this may not be the place for you.