First Wednesday Readers Series presents poets Stephanie Ginese of Cleveland, Stephanie Kendrick of Athens, Oh, and Julio Montalvo Valentin of Buffalo, NY. Ana Torres will co-host. Open mic to follow. Wed. July 5 at 7:00pm at Westside Bowl, 2617 Mahoning Ave.
Stephanie Ginese is an author & stand-up comedian from South Lorain, Ohio. Her debut collection of poetry, Unto Dogs, was released in July of 2022 on Grieveland. She currently lives in Cleveland with her two children. She can be found at www.sginese.com.
Stephanie Kendrick is the poet laureate of Athens, Ohio, and author of Places We Feel Warm (Main Street Rag, 2021). Her poems have appeared in Sheila-Na-Gig Online, Women of Appalachia Project’s Women Speak Volumes 4, 5, & 6, Ghost City Review, Northern Appalachia Review, and elsewhere. She co-hosts Athens County’s Thursday Night Open Mic.
Julio Montalvo Valentin (they/his) is the author of three chapbooks, the latest being Those Who Pray to Rice (NightBallet Press, 2019), and is a member of Los Artistas del Barrio Buffalo (LADB). Julio's work has been published in Thimble Literary Magazine, Cavity, Bangor Literary Journal, and Aisthesis: The Interdisciplinary Honors Journal, and more. Their work has been anthologized in Boricua en la Luna: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Voices, A Flash of Dark, Mansion, My Next Heart: New Buffalo Poetry, and the Silkworm Anthology Volume 13.
Upcoming readings:
August 2 Gina Tabasso & Russell Vidrick
September 6 Andy Roberts & Chuck Salmons
October 4 Terry Murcko
November 1 Jeremy Proehl & Jean Reinhold
December 6 Christopher Barzak & Carrie George