Dear Readers, 

On behalf of A Gathering of the Tribes curatorial board, we would like to formally invite you to participate in Come Hear! 2026, a LGBTQIA+ marathon poetry reading we are hosting as part of the 14th annual Rainbow Book Fair. 

The Rainbow Book Fair will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 12:00–6:00 pm at the LGBT Center, located at 208 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011. For those interested in selling books, artwork, or other ephemera, A Gathering of the Tribes will have a table at the fair this year. More information about this opportunity will be shared soon.

The Come Hear! 2026 poetry reading is scheduled from 12:00–5:00 pm; the exact room will be announced at a later date. Each reader will have approximately 8 minutes to read (pending the host’s discretion). The event will be organized into one-hour blocks, and readers will be asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled block. The final schedule will be announced by April 30th, 2026.

While there is no stipend for this event, all readers will have one poem published in Tribes Magazine Online 2026 prior to the event.

A Gathering of the Tribes seeks poems that speak to the struggles we face as democracy, diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly under threat, among other destructive forces. However, we also welcome poems that speak to love, resistance, resilience, and queer power. Poems may be previously published; please include the original publication credit when submitting.

For promotional purposes we would like a 2-3 sentence bio and author photo. Where applicable the photographer will be credited. 

Please fill out the form with all required information by FRIDAY March 27th, 2026 to confirm your participation! 

Feel free to reach out should you have any questions or concerns.

With love and gratitude: 
Regie Cabico, Drew Pisarra, Nathaniel Siegel & Irene Villasenor

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FRIDAY March 27th, 2026