To dial in to our zoom events, find your local number and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode associated with the zoom event you wish to attend when prompted.

All Sinister Wisdom events are free to attend. We welcome people to donate at the level you can to support our work.

Wednesday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Re-Release of Making a Way: Lesbians Out Front by JEB with Charis Books & More

Charis and Sinister Wisdom welcome JEB in conversation with Alexis Pauline Gumbs for a discussion of Making a Way: Lesbians Out Front, a collection of more than a hundred emotionally resonant photographs that take readers from passionate activism to thoughtful solitude.

Tuesday, August 26 at 7 p.m.

Celebration of Anita Cornwell and Black Lesbian in White America and Other Writing with editor Briona Simone Jones

Join Briona Simone Jones, editor and literary executor of Anita Cornwell, and other special guests for a riveting reading from Black Lesbian in White America and Other Writing, a Sapphic Classic from Sinister Wisdom. Jones and panelists will read from Cornwell’s writing and discuss her important work in the lineage of Black lesbian thinkers, activists, writers, and intellectuals. Moderated by Mel Oliver.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Sapphic

Sunday, September 14 at 4 p.m.

Sinister Wisdom Book Club: Palace of Eros by Caro De Robertis

Palace of Eros is a wonderful tale of erotic love—and the costs of being hidden—that has delighted many readers at Sinister Wisdom. Join Book Club convenor Yeva Johnson and author Caro De Robertis for a conversation about Palace of Eros.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Eros

Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m.

Celebration of Melting in Your Mouth: Early Poems with Chocolate Waters

Join beloved poet Chocolate Waters to celebrate Melting In Your Mouth: Early Poems. Red Washburn will read from the Introduction, and Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, managing editor at Sinister Wisdom will moderate. Discover why so many people enjoy Chocolate’s performances of her poetry with its incisive social commentary and delightful humor.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Poems

Tuesday, October 14 at 8 p.m.

Celebrating the Poetic Vision of Pat Parker

Edited by SaraEllen Strongman, Essential Poems by Pat Parker gathers over thirty-five poems by Parker and her iconic essay “Revolution: It’s Not Neat Pretty or Quick.” Join Sinister Wisdom to celebrate a new collection of Parker’s most beloved poems with readings by SaraEllen Strongman, Cheryl Clarke, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, and a special presentation by Alexis Bard Johnson about Black lesbian archives at the One Archive. Moderated by Julie R. Enszer.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Parker

Tuesday, October 21 at 7 p.m.

Launch of Sinister Wisdom 138: Lesbian Stories

Join the editors and contributors for conversations and readings from Sinister Wisdom 138: Lesbian Stories. Moderated by Judith Katz.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Stories

Tuesday, November 4 at 7 p.m.

2026 Sinister Wisdom Calendar Launch with Bell Pitkin

Now an annual tradition, the 2026 Sinister Wisdom calendar celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Sinister Wisdom. Join curator Bell Pitkin and artists from the calendar to talk about lesbian traditions in visual art.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Launch

Thursday, November 13 at 6 p.m. at the San Francisco Public Library

Celebrating Essential Poems by Pat Parker

Join Kim Shuck and the Poem Jam for a celebration of Essential Poems by Pat Parker. Readers include Judy Grahn, Jewelle Gomez, Yeva Johnson, Martha Dunham, Elena Gross, Ajuan Mance, and more.

Sunday, December 7 at 4 p.m.

Book Club: Girls Girls Girls by Shoshanna von Blanckensee, Convened by Yeva Johnson

Girls Girls Girls takes readers into the world of young lesbians in 1990s San Francisco. Join convenor Yeva Johnson and author Shoshanna von Blanckensee for a conversation about this intergenerational tale of love and dyke drama.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Girls

Tuesday, January 6 at 7 p.m.

Celebrating Queers at the Table, Queer Food with Queer Writers and Artists

Alex D. Ketchum and Megan J. Elias’s wonderful new book Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (with Recipes) is a feast of queer delights. Join Alex, Megan, and contributors for an evening of sensory delights as they explore food, lesbians, and more. Sinister Wisdom Snapshot curator and board member, Li-Anne Wright will moderate the discussion.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Queers

Tuesday, January 20 at 7 p.m.

Launch of Sinister Wisdom 139: Mad Dykes

Sinister Wisdom 139: Mad Dykes is a provocative and profound exploration of madness in all its forms. Join editor Cavar in conversation with contributors to the issue including Aliyah Blattner, Kwame Daniels, Crystal Odelle, and Dot Persica, for readings from the issue and a celebration of its presence in our worlds. Sinister Wisdom event producer Max Backer will moderate the evening celebration.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Madness

Thursday, January 29 at 7 p.m.

Tribute to doris davenport with Briona Simone Jones

Writer, educator, and literary and performance poet doris davenport grew up in the Appalachian foothills of Habersham County (Cornelia) Georgia. She earned degrees from Paine College (BA English), State University of Buffalo (SUNY), New York (MA English), and the University of Southern California (PhD Literature). She published nine collections of poetry and was until her death in 2024 a beloved member of the Sinister Wisdom community. Join Sinister Wisdom board member Briona Simone Jones for a tribute to doris davenport featuring readings of work by doris and memories from friends and comrades.

Collaborations include Briona Simone Jones and Cherrie Moraga.

Sunday, February 8 at 4 p.m.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, Convened by Yeva Johnson

Octavia Butler’s visionary novel Parable of the Sower has recently been invoked as instructive in our current political moment. Join Sinister Wisdom book club convenor Yeva Johnson to discuss this classic feminist novel.

Tuesday, February 10 at 7 p.m.

Salsa Soul Sisters and Histories of Black Lesbian Organizing

Join Stahimili Mapp for a conversation with members of the Salsa Soul Sisters, Black lesbian and lesbians of color womanist organization founded in New York City in 1974. Salsa Soul Sisters operated until 1993 and members are still active preserving their history and legacy. Join Mapp, Cassandra Grant, and Juliette Bennett for a conversation about lesbian of color organizing in the past and today!

Sunday, March 22 at 4 p.m.

Sinister Wisdom Book Club: The Autobiography of H. Lan Thao Lam by Lana Lin

The Autobiography of H. Lan Thao Lam is a riveting memoir that riffs on Gertrude Stein’s The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, using it to examine the realities of contemporary lesbian life with a keen eye to thinking about race and gender. Join Sinister Wisdom Book Club convenor Yeva Johnson and author Lana Lin for a conversation about The Autobiography of H. Lan Thao Lam.

Join us on Zoom here.

Passcode: Lam

Tuesday, March 24 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Sisterhood in Print: Celebrating 50 Years of CALYX Press!

Since 1976, CALYX Press has been a bold, unwavering force in feminist publishing—amplifying the voices of women, including lesbian and queer women—even when doing so meant standing firm in the face of silence. For five decades, CALYX has nurtured emerging writers, spotlighted groundbreaking artists, and created space for stories that too often go unheard.

Sinister Wisdom has been building and sustaining lesbian literary culture for the very same fifty years—making this joint celebration a powerful moment of shared legacy, solidarity, and vision.

Join us for a joyful, thoughtful celebration of CALYX’s 50th anniversary—an evening honoring the press’s revolutionary past, resilient present, and radiant future. Together, we’ll reflect on what it means to sustain a feminist literary community across generations.

The event features readings by acclaimed contributor Ellen Bass, along with emerging voices Rita Mookerjee, Laura Foley, Amy Schutzer, and Alison Clement, who represent CALYX’s living legacy. We’ll also hear from CALYX editor of 15+ years, Brenna Crotty, board president Beth Russell, and poetry collective member Rooja Mohassessy in a spirited conversation about the herstory, challenges, and continued relevance of this pioneering press. Come celebrate fifty fierce, beautiful years of CALYX—and the ongoing effort to sustain and support feminist art and literature.

Join us on Zoom here.