Laura Hershey, a great poet and disability rights and justice activist passed away this weekend.
I got to know Laura this summer at the Lambda Literary Writer’s Retreat, where she and I were amongst thirty other awesome queer writers spending a week in community together.
I’m sad that Laura and I’s paths did not cross for longer–I wish I could have known her and her work better.
Laura was an accomplished poet, with an impressive list of credits and publications. She was a parent, a partner, an activist. Laura was the one who emailed me about this statement on reproductive rights and disability justice that I posted a few weeks ago. I believe she was also a co-author of the statement.
Laura’s work speaks for itself, and you can introduce yourself to it on her website if you don’t know it all ready. Feministing also did an interview with Laura back in 2007–view it here.
I’m posting a video below of Laura reading a short selection of her poetry at our retreat this summer. Apologies for the lack of transcript.
With love and respect Laura, you will be missed.
Radical Doula 