Oakland Out Loud: Poetry and Prose In Celebration of ‘There’ could not have been published without the generous support of the Oakland Public Library, LEF Foundation, PEN Center USA, and the Zellerbach Family Foundation The anthology, composed of the works of PEN Oakland members, is presented in conjunction with a community reading series sponsored by the Oakland Public Library, beginning April 26, 2007. For more information about the reading series, go to: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/Calendar.html

PEN Oakland wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the following people, without whom this book would not have been possible: Lynne Cutler, Patricia Lichter, Alison Bowman, Kathleen Hirooka, Randall McDevitt-Parks, Jack Foley, Gerald Nicosia, Adam Somers, Reginald Lockett, Sharon Doubiago, Sara Rezvanpour, and all of the authors that donated their work to the creation of Oakland Out Loud.

PEN Oakland would also like to thank Marion E. Greene and Marina Drummer with the LEF Foundation for their commitment to social justice, and change, and their tremendous support of PEN Oakland. Because of the LEF Foundation, Linda Howe, and the Zellerbach Family Fund, as well as PEN USA, we were able to create this book of dreams, hopes, and love, the love of art, literature, and the belief that in our heart, no matter what our circumstances, no one can take away the gift of writing. It comes from a soul level, and is a gift from the universe to everyone that calls themselves a writer.

The Oakland Out Loud Literary Series is an opportunity to showcase the Bay Area’s thriving literary community, and to encourage authors to seeks ways of publishing their work. The literary series and anthology are being funded by PEN Center USA, the Zellerbach Family Foundation, and the LEF Foundation.