Pride month celebrations continue Sunday with Desert Split Open at Joshua Tree’s The Beatnik Lounge. In its fifth year, Desert Split Open is the local reading series featuring work that is feminist, queer, or otherwise radical, hosted by local author Susan Rukeyser.
The Beatnik Lounge opens at noon for those wanting to catch the special “Queerated” community art show. Enjoy light refreshments and browse books and art for sale from the featured artists.
At 1:00, Desert Split Open begin with remarks from special guest Flint, a trans and queer education human rights content creator recently moved to the Hi-Desert from Orange County, where Flint was an openly trans public-school teacher where he hosted a popular 200-title LGBTQ+ library, curated by students.
At 1:30, Featured Readers include Barb Morrison, an author and top 5 Billboard dance chart songwriter; Ruth Nolan, a former wildland firefighter, author, and editor of No Place for a Puritan: The Literature of California’s Deserts; and host Susan Rukeyser, who’s second novel, The Worst Kind of Girl, is out this June.
At 2:00 will be an open mic. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to read LGBTQ+ poetry or prose – any form, any genre, their own or someone else’s – for up to 6 minutes.
At 3:30, to close out the show will be a brief performance by Lady Chilane, a drag performer originally from Tennessee who now resides in Joshua Tree. She hosts a variety of shows across the Hi-Desert, including Drag Bingo.
