Date: Friday, May 1, 2020
Time: 3:00PM EST
Streaming Link: https://www.facebook.com/bechollashon
Co-sponsored by Be’chol Lashon, Bowery Poetry Club, Rattapallax

Video

Background

In 2014, Emily Farranto organized a multilingual reading of poetry in New Orleans. Poems in more than twenty languages were read and most of the readers were not writers or performers, but they came to read, to represent their country and language of origin or adoption. It was an experiment about listening, community, and poetry.

That’s how Xenotheque was born. Since its beginning, the event has grown with more readers, more languages, and more attendees.

Last year, in partnership with Be’chol Lashon, in addition to the New Orleans event, another reading was organized in Brooklyn, New York, and in addition a satellite reading was held in Jiaxing, China.

Now, as we shelter in place, in partnership with Be’chol Lashon, the Bowery Poetry Club, and Rattapallax, Xenotheque will be organized as a virtual event on May 1, 2020.

When the entire world is disconnected and sheltered in their private spaces, it is more important than ever for different cultures to come together.

Lineup of Readers

Carmen Bardiguez-Brown – Nuyorican Spanglish
Ciara Ni E – Irish
Valentina Musmeci – Occitan
Siona Benjamin – Urdu
Sarah Aroeste – Ladino (Makedonia)
Aliya Marian Bartout – Gabonese
Bezawit Abebe – Amharic
Ceen Gabbai – Arabic
Kirmen Uribe – Basque
Kewulay Kamara – Karonko
Rebecca Faulkner – British English
Monique Balbuena – Ladino and Castellano
Hy Wolfe – Yiddish
Souks Soukhaseum – Lao