Universe, Vast Universe: A Community Resistance Event

Doors open at 6:30 pm.
Readings begin at 7 pm.

In June 2025, the federal government initiated a new travel ban restricting travel from people from 19 countries.

This ban, which predominately targets countries with Black, Brown, and/or Muslim-majority populations, is designed to spread hate and fear by creating the impression that people of certain races, religions, and nationalities are more likely to cause violence and disruption than others.

Please join MWPA, SPACE, and friends as we flip the script and showcase the vibrant prose, poetry, and culture that has come out of targeted nations, such as:

Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Lao, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Palestine.

Featured readers & presenters:

Sarah Braunstein, Colin Cheney, Sharif Elmusa, Myronn Hardy, Zahir Janmohamed, Reza Jelali, Gary Lawless, Nicole Pomeroy, Ryan Bani Tahmaseb, Maya Williams, and more.

With:

• Presente! Maine
• The Lucky Fox Bookshop

Drinks, snacks, and community. Tears and laughter welcome!

”Universe, vast universe,

my heart is vaster.”

Carlos Drummond de Andrade

Also check out other Arts events in Portland, Literary Art events in Portland, Sports events in Portland.