ReEntry Lab
@reentrylab.org
Building bridges between writers & other artists leaving incarceration and arts & literary communities ready to receive them. Based in Minneapolis & St. Paul, Minnesota.
@bridgetgordon.gay (she/her, fae/faer) is a queer trans woman and emerging poet living in Chicago. A former MFA student and sports journalist, her current work with poetry and short-form writing is enraptured with queer longing, identity, and liminality. …
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September 15, 2026 at 1:30 PM
@bridgetgordon.gay (she/her, fae/faer) is a queer trans woman and emerging poet living in Chicago. A former MFA student and sports journalist, her current work with poetry and short-form writing is enraptured with queer longing, identity, and liminality. …
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Please join us on Tuesday, October 6th, at 7:00pm, at Moon Palace Books, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: @bridgetgordon.gay, Wordsworth Musinguzi, Marquise Bowie, KJ Kieras, and @najeebasyeed.bsky.social, followed by an open mic.
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September 4, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Please join us on Tuesday, October 6th, at 7:00pm, at Moon Palace Books, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: @bridgetgordon.gay, Wordsworth Musinguzi, Marquise Bowie, KJ Kieras, and @najeebasyeed.bsky.social, followed by an open mic.
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One week to go!
Please join us on Tuesday, September 1st, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Joel Hernandez, Hawti, Moncies Franco, Beau Rara, and Khary Jackson, followed by an open mic.
Please join us on Tuesday, September 1st, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Joel Hernandez, Hawti, Moncies Franco, Beau Rara, and Khary Jackson, followed by an open mic.
August 25, 2026 at 5:20 PM
One week to go!
Please join us on Tuesday, September 1st, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Joel Hernandez, Hawti, Moncies Franco, Beau Rara, and Khary Jackson, followed by an open mic.
Please join us on Tuesday, September 1st, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Joel Hernandez, Hawti, Moncies Franco, Beau Rara, and Khary Jackson, followed by an open mic.
Khary Jackson (he/they/any) is a writer, dancer and musician. Khary has been a recipient of generous grants, including the 2019 Jerome Artist Fellowship and 2022 McKnight Fellowship in Writing. In 2020/21 Khary co-composed a MNiatures commission with MN Opera.
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August 17, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Khary Jackson (he/they/any) is a writer, dancer and musician. Khary has been a recipient of generous grants, including the 2019 Jerome Artist Fellowship and 2022 McKnight Fellowship in Writing. In 2020/21 Khary co-composed a MNiatures commission with MN Opera.
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Beau RaRa (they/them) is a poet hailing from the land of ten thousand lakes. They are a post-conviction lawyer and circle keeper by day and moonlight as an aerialist teaching at Phoenix Flight Studio in Minneapolis. Beau believes that relationship is the locus of transformative change. …
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August 15, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Beau RaRa (they/them) is a poet hailing from the land of ten thousand lakes. They are a post-conviction lawyer and circle keeper by day and moonlight as an aerialist teaching at Phoenix Flight Studio in Minneapolis. Beau believes that relationship is the locus of transformative change. …
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Moncies Franco (he/him) is a change agent with a passion for community transformation. As a 3rd generation incarcerated adult, and a person living with a chronic illness; he has overcome the associated stigma and shame tied to those experiences to champion healthcare accessibility…
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August 13, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Moncies Franco (he/him) is a change agent with a passion for community transformation. As a 3rd generation incarcerated adult, and a person living with a chronic illness; he has overcome the associated stigma and shame tied to those experiences to champion healthcare accessibility…
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@minnesotaj.bsky.social is a poet and book artist in Minneapolis, MN. He is the author of 'Baghdad Express: A Gulf War Memoir' (Borealis/Penguin) and 'war | machine' (Nine Chains Press) and his work has appeared in GQ, Granta, NYT Magazine, Rain Taxi, VQR, and other journals.
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August 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM
@minnesotaj.bsky.social is a poet and book artist in Minneapolis, MN. He is the author of 'Baghdad Express: A Gulf War Memoir' (Borealis/Penguin) and 'war | machine' (Nine Chains Press) and his work has appeared in GQ, Granta, NYT Magazine, Rain Taxi, VQR, and other journals.
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Reposted by ReEntry Lab
Next Tues August 4 @reentrylab.org (a recent community partner through the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub residencies) hosts a "Better Things" series discussion and open mic at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social in Minneapolis:
Better Things August | Moon Palace Books
Your neighborhood independent bookstore located in south Minneapolis. Selling new and used books since 2012.
moonpalacebooks.com
July 31, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Next Tues August 4 @reentrylab.org (a recent community partner through the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub residencies) hosts a "Better Things" series discussion and open mic at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social in Minneapolis:
Reposted by ReEntry Lab
Season 1, Episode 4: Into the Unknown with katie robinson
Available wherever you get your podcasts:
open.spotify.com/episode/1PDY...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
music.amazon.com/podcasts/b24...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRG7...
www.iheart.com/podcast/269-...
pca.st/hpx3nucu
Available wherever you get your podcasts:
open.spotify.com/episode/1PDY...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
music.amazon.com/podcasts/b24...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRG7...
www.iheart.com/podcast/269-...
pca.st/hpx3nucu
Episode 4 - Into the Unknown with katie robinson
Podcast Episode · Into a Darker Wilderness · July 23 · 51m
podcasts.apple.com
August 2, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Season 1, Episode 4: Into the Unknown with katie robinson
Available wherever you get your podcasts:
open.spotify.com/episode/1PDY...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
music.amazon.com/podcasts/b24...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRG7...
www.iheart.com/podcast/269-...
pca.st/hpx3nucu
Available wherever you get your podcasts:
open.spotify.com/episode/1PDY...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
music.amazon.com/podcasts/b24...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRG7...
www.iheart.com/podcast/269-...
pca.st/hpx3nucu
Joe Davis (he/him) is an award-winning spoken word artist and bestselling author who uses poetry to power possibility.
He is the founding director of Finding Your Freedom Practice, a wellness ecosystem teaching body-centered practices through spoken word, writing, music, theater, film, …
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He is the founding director of Finding Your Freedom Practice, a wellness ecosystem teaching body-centered practices through spoken word, writing, music, theater, film, …
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June 24, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Joe Davis (he/him) is an award-winning spoken word artist and bestselling author who uses poetry to power possibility.
He is the founding director of Finding Your Freedom Practice, a wellness ecosystem teaching body-centered practices through spoken word, writing, music, theater, film, …
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He is the founding director of Finding Your Freedom Practice, a wellness ecosystem teaching body-centered practices through spoken word, writing, music, theater, film, …
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Desdamona (she/her) is an internationally known Spoken Word & Hip Hop artist who has traveled the US & abroad delivering her seamless mixture of Spoken Word, Hip Hop lyricism and melody to the stage for a dynamic & engaging performance. When she's not on stage…
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June 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Desdamona (she/her) is an internationally known Spoken Word & Hip Hop artist who has traveled the US & abroad delivering her seamless mixture of Spoken Word, Hip Hop lyricism and melody to the stage for a dynamic & engaging performance. When she's not on stage…
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Tony Burgess (he/him) was a long-standing member of MPWW during 25-plus consecutive years of incarceration, and is a plumber by trade with a BA in Communication Studies and minors in Sociology and Business Management. …
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June 20, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Tony Burgess (he/him) was a long-standing member of MPWW during 25-plus consecutive years of incarceration, and is a plumber by trade with a BA in Communication Studies and minors in Sociology and Business Management. …
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folaṣade (they/she) (b. 1992) is a blackqueer neuro/quirky poet, curator, and organizer concerned with the immediate survival and ongoing liberation of people of the global majority. intuitively guided by her ancestors, folaṣade nurtures a reverence for indigeneity and the erotic…
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June 18, 2026 at 1:30 PM
folaṣade (they/she) (b. 1992) is a blackqueer neuro/quirky poet, curator, and organizer concerned with the immediate survival and ongoing liberation of people of the global majority. intuitively guided by her ancestors, folaṣade nurtures a reverence for indigeneity and the erotic…
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Nen G Ramirez (they/he) is a nonbinary Chicanx writer from Adrian, Michigan. They are the author of All Women Are Born Wailing (Black Lawrence Press, 2023), which was awarded the 2022 Acentos Book Prize. Ramirez received their MFA in poetry…
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June 16, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Nen G Ramirez (they/he) is a nonbinary Chicanx writer from Adrian, Michigan. They are the author of All Women Are Born Wailing (Black Lawrence Press, 2023), which was awarded the 2022 Acentos Book Prize. Ramirez received their MFA in poetry…
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Please join us on Tuesday, July 7th, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Nen G Ramirez, folaṣade, Tony Burgess, Desdamona, and Joe Davis.
For more info, see reentrylab.org/better-things/
For more info, see reentrylab.org/better-things/
June 3, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Please join us on Tuesday, July 7th, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: Nen G Ramirez, folaṣade, Tony Burgess, Desdamona, and Joe Davis.
For more info, see reentrylab.org/better-things/
For more info, see reentrylab.org/better-things/
Reposted by ReEntry Lab
this is absolutely worth remembering: when the abolitionists began the struggle against the slave power, the slave power looked unbeatable. they fought anyways--a long, difficult, often thankless struggle. they fought anyways.
1830s Northerner: "Why are you abolitionists advocating for the immediate abolishment of slavery nationwide? It's not going to happen. Neither party has the appetite to do it. It's a fantasy. You're wasting your time & creating discord with the South." Change takes time. You have to start somewhere.
May 17, 2026 at 1:25 AM
this is absolutely worth remembering: when the abolitionists began the struggle against the slave power, the slave power looked unbeatable. they fought anyways--a long, difficult, often thankless struggle. they fought anyways.
Eemanna (she/her) is a Minneapolis born and based multidisciplinary artist and community organizer. A singer song-writer and rapper spanning across genres of hip hop, alternative and soul, Eemanna is also a ceramicist and podcast producer. …
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May 20, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Eemanna (she/her) is a Minneapolis born and based multidisciplinary artist and community organizer. A singer song-writer and rapper spanning across genres of hip hop, alternative and soul, Eemanna is also a ceramicist and podcast producer. …
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Adrien Wright (they/them) is a poet, performer, and costume designer who lives and works in Minneapolis. Their poems have appeared in the Midway Journal and Selfish Magazine, as well as on stages at the Midwest Poetry Mash-Up, the NorthBEAST Regional Poetry Slam, …
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May 18, 2026 at 4:44 PM
Adrien Wright (they/them) is a poet, performer, and costume designer who lives and works in Minneapolis. Their poems have appeared in the Midway Journal and Selfish Magazine, as well as on stages at the Midwest Poetry Mash-Up, the NorthBEAST Regional Poetry Slam, …
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Willard Malebear Jr. (he/him) is an artist, community organizer, and creative wellness advocate based in Minneapolis. He is the founder and executive chairman of Art Shelf, a nonprofit that operates like a food shelf for art supplies, providing free creative materials, …
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May 16, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Willard Malebear Jr. (he/him) is an artist, community organizer, and creative wellness advocate based in Minneapolis. He is the founder and executive chairman of Art Shelf, a nonprofit that operates like a food shelf for art supplies, providing free creative materials, …
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Antonio Duke (he/him) is a Twin Cities based actor and playwright. He is the program director of The Ifẹ̀ (Ee-fay) Lab which is a fellowship highlighting black solo performing artists. The fellowship combines film and live performances culminating…
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May 14, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Antonio Duke (he/him) is a Twin Cities based actor and playwright. He is the program director of The Ifẹ̀ (Ee-fay) Lab which is a fellowship highlighting black solo performing artists. The fellowship combines film and live performances culminating…
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Reposted by ReEntry Lab
Illinois - Women's Justice Institute marks 10 years of connecting women in downstate prisons with their families pantagraph.com/news/local/a...
Women's Justice Institute marks 10 years of connecting women in downstate prisons with their families
For 10 years, the Women's Justice Institute has offered a bus service to connect women who are incarcerated in Lincoln and Decatur with their families.
pantagraph.com
May 12, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Illinois - Women's Justice Institute marks 10 years of connecting women in downstate prisons with their families pantagraph.com/news/local/a...
mk zariel (it/its + masc terms) is a transmasculine neuroqueer theater artist, Best Of The Net and Monarch Award nominated poet, movement journalist, and BashBack aligned anarchist. it is fueled by folk-punk, Emma Goldman, and existential dread. …
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May 12, 2026 at 1:30 PM
mk zariel (it/its + masc terms) is a transmasculine neuroqueer theater artist, Best Of The Net and Monarch Award nominated poet, movement journalist, and BashBack aligned anarchist. it is fueled by folk-punk, Emma Goldman, and existential dread. …
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Reposted by ReEntry Lab
The most revolutionary thing you can do these days is be kind.
From organizing mariachi brunch fundraisers to attempting to deliver flowers to detention camps, community members everywhere are working to ensure that separated immigrant moms know that they are loved and haven’t been forgotten this Mother’s Day:
open.substack.com/pub/americas...
open.substack.com/pub/americas...
Special Saturday Edition: Community Members Raise Funds — And Hope — For Immigrant Moms Ahead Of Mother’s Day
"We want them to know there are some people who love them, some people who support them – we want them to have hope.”
open.substack.com
May 9, 2026 at 4:52 PM
The most revolutionary thing you can do these days is be kind.
"Conbody vs Everybody, a singular, sprawling portrait of redemption and hard-earned resilience in one of New York City’s most rapidly gentrified neighborhoods, told through the hub of one unlikely gym [started and staffed by formerly incarcerated people]."
www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ap...
www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ap...
‘What we’re doing is real justice’: how one New York gym built a pipeline away from prison
Debra Granik’s five-hour documentary shows a former drug dealer turned entrepreneur striving to beat a system that continues to punish those that have served time
www.theguardian.com
May 10, 2026 at 6:29 PM
"Conbody vs Everybody, a singular, sprawling portrait of redemption and hard-earned resilience in one of New York City’s most rapidly gentrified neighborhoods, told through the hub of one unlikely gym [started and staffed by formerly incarcerated people]."
www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ap...
www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ap...
Please join us on Tuesday, June 2nd, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: @mkzariel.bsky.social, Antonio Duke, Willard Malebear Jr., Adrien Wright, and Eemanna, followed by an open mic.
More at reentrylab.org/better-things
More at reentrylab.org/better-things
Better Things Gathering & Open Mic - gatherings for social change - ReEntry Lab
Better Things is a series of events sponsored by the ReEntry Lab, in partnership with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop (MPWW) and Moon Palace Books.
reentrylab.org
May 10, 2026 at 4:31 AM
Please join us on Tuesday, June 2nd, at 7:00pm, at @moonpalacebooks.bsky.social, for our next 5×5 Reading, featuring five fantastic artists: @mkzariel.bsky.social, Antonio Duke, Willard Malebear Jr., Adrien Wright, and Eemanna, followed by an open mic.
More at reentrylab.org/better-things
More at reentrylab.org/better-things