Portland-based spoken word poet Jae Nichelle will celebrate the release of her second book, “Grownfolk Blues,” Saturday at Uptown Oakland’s Nomadic Bookshop, where Nichelle will do a reading and be in conversation withKB Brookins.
The series of experimental poems are formatted like musical theater scripts. The narrative follows a Black, queer woman named “You” figuring out adulthood along with characters such as Narrator, The Girl and “Grownfolk. Nichelle, 29, started writing the book five years ago after being inspired by the resistance and hope in blues music as well as queer, Black blues singers such as Ma Rainey.
“I was in my early 20s and feeling the weight of being pushed as an adult into a society,” Nichelle said. “Bringing humor and play to these serious topics kind of makes it more real.”
Nichelle wanted to be in conversation with Brookins,
Nichelle wanted to be in conversation with Brookins, who moved to Oakland six months ago for an assistant professorship at Santa Clara University, because the two admire each others’ work and have crossed paths many times in the literary world.
“I’ve been very excited to branch out of Portland where I’m based and try to take the book to bookstores and people who matter a lot to me,” Nichelle said.
Who:Jae Nichelle, author of “Grownfolk Blues”
When: 6 p.m. Saturday (Free)
Where:Nomadic Bookshop, 26 23rd St.
Researching local bookstores, Nichelle came across Nomadic Bookshop,
Researching local bookstores, Nichelle came across Nomadic Bookshop, whose books and events are curated to uplift marginalized writers.
“The publishing industry tends to value certain voices over others, so it is important to push against that tide,” said J. K. Fowler, who co-founded the “tiny but mighty” bookstore with his husband, Uriel Landa. “It’s important for people to see themselves on the shelves and feel like they have a space that they can use,” Fowler added.
Nichelle felt the bookstore aligned “synergistically” with the themes she and Brookins explore in their individual work as Black, queer writers.
Brookins said Grownfolk Blues feels timely and real,
Brookins said “Grownfolk Blues” feels timely and real, with its pop culture references. And it shares common ground with other queer, Black artists in content and style. “Other parts, I’ve felt very indignant because of an injustice being talked about, often injustices that I’ve experienced myself,” Brookins said.
Nichelle heard similar comments from other readers, including at her initial launch event in Texas, where the book’s publisher, Host Publications, is based. It makes her day when people say she’s articulated a truth about their experience that they could not put into words.
“For me, that’s the job I want to do as a writer,” Nichelle said. “I’m really excited to share the book with this new audience of people.”
As Nichelle travels up and down the West
As Nichelle travels up and down the West Coast for her tour, she plans to write the name of every city into her copy of “Grownfolk Blues, “leaving her with an archive of dates and events. She was inspired by m. mick powell, a writer friend who follows the same ritual on book tours. She is excited to add Oakland to the list once she reads at Nomadic Bookshop.
The title poem includes a chorus that she plans to have audience members recite as she reads.
“I love telling people, ‘All right when I point to you, you’re going to say this,’” Nichelle said. “I feel like we’re all sharing the poem together.”
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