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Events Mon Aug 27 2012
Criminal Class Press Punks Promote Literacy
This Thursday Chicago literary publication Criminal Class Press (CCP) is holding a fundraiser aptly titled, "Punks Promoting Literature." Not bad, considering the press is known for publishing punks and is run by one--the Editor-in-chief Kevin Whiteley. Money raised at the event will support the California-based Yardtime Literacy Project, run by writers/brothers Keith and Kent Zimmerman. Its initial success came from providing writing programs for inmates in San Quinton Prison's H-Unit. Now, Yardtime is looking to expand to juvenile detention centers, which is where the fundraiser comes in. The Zimmermans worked with CCP this past year as guest editors to the Prison issue (featuring work by inmates from their prison writing programs). "What the Zimmermans are doing enables their students to have a creative outlet," said CCP's Junior Public Relations representative Alex Kretchmar. "Their goal is that Chicago and other major cities will realize that there is hope for the forgotten and unfortunate," said Kretchmar.
CCP is looking to release a new edition of its review before year's end. In the meantime, the press is working on building its web presence. "Our revamped website is dedicated to journalism of the CCP kind," says Kretchmar. Where its print product incudes mostly literary stories and poems, the website will expand to include gritty journalism, entertainment reviews and guest columnists.
The event will mix music and readings for what the press is billing as the "the Rock 'n' Roll-infused Event of the summer." Readers include author Dmitry Samarov (Hack), with Luke "Diseased" Crumley and Kathryn Morrill, both reading from works published in the Criminal Class Review. Listen to music from Rufis Roberts & The Smoking Rabbits, The Island of Misfit Toys, and The Hamburglars.
Stop by Beauty Bar at 1444 W. Chicago Ave. at 7pm on August 30, $5.
Ben / August 28, 2012 12:25 PM
Awesome.