Indigenous women and queer folk have a particular power within the poetic form. Across the spoken, the sung, the written, the gathered, our women care for story and continue songs that began with the first sunrise. —Jazz Money
Radiant was an evening of poetry, storytelling, and open mic time, curated Jazz Money (Wiradjuri poet and artist), and hosted by (Mel ReeSydney-based actor, dancer, and poet).
The evening explored poetry as a dynamic, contemporary experimental form, as well as a method through which to find a sense of self, community, and home. Mel Ree along with poets Brooke Scobie, Lucy Norton, and Adrian Mouhajer shared on themes of queerness, love, desire, identity, family, cultural connection, and Country.
Mel Ree trained as an actor and identifies as a dancer, poet and fierce woman. Born in Papua New Guinea to the daughter of a chief, her ancestors sit at the base of her spine spurring her on to tell her story, hoping to spark wildfires within listeners that burn down differences, uniting us in our pain and understanding of this human condition.
Lucy Norton is a queer, Koori and Quechua person currently living on Gadigal country. She is an emerging writer and poet, an alternative trauma therapy practitioner and death doula. Their writing often reflects on their own lived experience of poverty, trauma, disconnection and reconnection to heritage, healing from intergenerational trauma, finding solace in Country, spirit and ancestral connection.
Adrian Mouhajer was born and raised in Lakemba to conservative Muslim migrant Lebanese parents and is a twenty-seven year old non-binary lesbian Muslim Lebanese poet who explores themes of queerness, love, desire, family and cultural connection within their work. They are a member of Sweatshop Literacy Movement and won Highly Commended in the 2021 Sydney Opera House Antidote Mentorship for Diverse Emerging Writers. Their work has been published by Sydney Opera House, SBS voices, Aniko Press and Diversity Arts Australia. They also perform their poetry in local spaces and events, including the Sydney Opera House and Bankstown Arts Theatre
Brooke Scobie is a queer Goorie woman, single mum, emerging writer, and community worker. She was born and bred on Bidjigal country in South West Sydney and now lives on Darkinjung land. In her writing, Brooke is most passionate about telling stories that centre identity, love and family using the imagery of Country.
