Sometimes, the "poetry community" actually behaves like one--where people can unite regardless of public/private points of view in pursuit of a laudable common goal.
Here's a link to T.J. Sullivan's article on LA OBSERVED re Beyond Baroque's new lease:
Amelie Frank passed along this letter of congratulations from Fred Dewey:
Dear All: Here's Fred's announcement. I want to add that the real applause goes to ALL OF YOU who contacted the city representatives. Your overwhelming response was the singlemost important factor in making this happen. The victory is yours, and my thanks to you I can't even begin to express.--Love, Amélie
(P.S. Special thanks to Jerry Garcia, who really sounded the first alarm on our behalf.)
Greetings!!
Today, thanks to the visionary leadership of Councilman Bill Rosendahl, his superb staff, and to Beyond Baroque's vast body of extremely vocal supporters, the LA City Council voted unanimously to endorse renewing Beyond Baroque's lease to its historic Venice home, the Old City Hall, for 25 years at $1 a year.
It is absolutely wonderful news. It is victory for poetry and the arts. It is a victory for the preservation of history, the public realm, and the capacity for experiment. It is a rare triumph for the love of language, the written word, books, and the precious spark that community lends to all of us.
Councilman Rosendahl was working for us until the very last minute this morning in City Council chambers, as the vote went through. It was an honor to be there to see it. We are grateful to Bill's chief of staff, Mike Bonin, who helped craft the motion that passed this morning (our lease would have been up tomorrow). We are grateful as well to Rosendahl's Southern District Director Venice/Marina Peninsula Deputy Arturo Pina, to the Councilman's staff that fielded calls and emails, and to so many others in City Hall, across the city, across the country, and across the world.
I want to thank our Steering Committee that helped assure this wonderful outcome, led by Suzanne Thompson, with Linda Lucks, Rick Tuttle, Beyond Baroque's board Amelie Frank, Brooks Roddan, and Richard Modiano, and, behind us, all of you who sent emails, letters, made phone calls, and went out of your way to help. Those of you over the last few weeks who contacted our Councilman and the City Attorney, who expressed support to our officials at meetings and gatherings, and fired up the internet deserve to know how incredibly much you matter. It was your stepping forward that, ultimately, made clear how important Beyond Baroque is to city government, enabling Bill and his staff to achieve what was accomplished today.
We owe Councilman Bill Rosendahl of the 11th District, Los Angeles, a great debt of gratitude. Please thank him and his chief of staff, Mike Bonin for all they have done, and for all that they have now made possible. It was they who helped us all steer the ship safely into port.
Beyond Baroque's home is safe until 2032. This is a moment truly worth celebrating and remembering. Thank you, from all of us at Beyond Baroque.
Warmly, with hope for the future,
Fred Dewey
Director and Board Chair, Beyond Baroque & Beyond Baroque Books
Venice, California
Director and Board Chair, Beyond Baroque & Beyond Baroque Books
Venice, California
Our Councilman and his Chief of Staff Mike Bonin can be reached at Councilman.Rosendahl@lacity.org.
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