On Sunday, March 9, Watershed Literary Events marked Women’s History Month with a special reading at the Skate House in South Orange. The event, now in its seventh year, featured a talented lineup of writers with ties to New Jersey. The free event showcased the work of award-winning poets and authors Susanna Rich, Claudia Cortese, and Isabel Cruz.
Theresa Burns, the founder and director of Watershed Literary Events, shared her excitement about the series. “It’s always fun to host the series and see what the writers will bring,” she said. “We don’t know what they’re going to read; we just invite them to share poetry, prose, or whatever they feel is appropriate. The result is always a fascinating mix of different ages, concerns, and styles.”
Susanna Rich, a poet and songwriter, has received significant recognition for her work. An Emmy Award nominee, Rich is also a Fulbright Fellow in Creative Writing. She has published several poetry collections, including Television Daddy, The Drive Home, and Shout! Poetry for Suffrage. At the event, Rich read from Shout! Poetry for Suffrage, a collection focused on the courageous women of the suffrage movement. She emphasized the importance of understanding history and the ongoing need for women’s voices. “It took 72 years for the 19th Amendment to give women the right to vote, and today, women must continue to fight,” she said.
Claudia Cortese, a queer poet and essayist, was another featured reader. Cortese, who received a 2023 NJ Arts Council Grant in Poetry, is the author of Wasp Queen and two chapbooks. They teach at Montclair State University and have written extensively on themes of sexual violence and trauma. Cortese shared their approach to writing about difficult subjects, saying, “I try never to censor myself in my poems. It’s important to talk about experiences wrapped in secrecy and shame in a way that opens up dialogue but isn’t overwhelming for the reader.”
The youngest reader of the evening, Isabel Cruz, is a 23-year-old Puerto Rican poet from Paterson, New Jersey. Cruz recently completed a B.A. in American Studies and Creative Writing at Smith College. She has been featured in prominent literary events like the Dodge Poetry Festival and the Newark Arts Festival. Cruz, the first Youth Ambassador for the Paterson Poetry Festival, shared her excitement about representing Puerto Rican writers, a group often overlooked in literary circles. “I want to educate people about Puerto Rican history and make sure our voices are heard,” she said.
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