Tuesday, September 05, 2006

"Outside the Green Zone" at the Portfolio Center

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Atlanta contributors to “Outside the Green Zone: Poets Respond to the GLBT Cleansing of Iraq” held their first reading September 1st at the Portfolio Center in Buckhead, as part of “Poetry at the Portfolio Center” hosted by local poet Collin Kelley.

Some of Atlanta's leading poets contributed to this book, including: nationally-ranked slam poet Theresa Davis, poet and actress Lisa Allender, C. Cleo Creech (editor), poet, author and playwright Collin Kelley, and poet and activist Franklin Abbott.

A second reading is schedule for September the 12th at 8 p.m. to be held at Outwrite bookstore at 10th and Piedmont.

The collection of works is designed to bring awareness to the plight of the GLBT community in Iraq. Since the issuing of a Fatwa or religious edict calling for Gays and Lesbians to be killed in the “worse manner possible” by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, executions have become commonplace. Under the new Iraqi constitution which is based on Shira law these executions are now legal and constitutional. Increasingly being conducted by Iraqi security forces and police and boys as young as 14 have been executed in front of their families.

For more information see myspace at http://www.myspace.com/outsidegreenzone or email outsidegreenzone@comcast.net