Is your work political?
100%
What is the place of literature in politics?
It inspires. It offers prophecy. It offers a place for re-imagining. It is a site of political experimentation.
What is your favorite political work?
I don’t have a single favorite but right now, I’ve been thinking a lot about Toni Morrison’s “A Mercy.“
Do you feel voting is important?
Yes but I find social movements far more important.
What are your hopes for this election?
I hope that Trump loses and then participates in a peaceful transfer of power.
Myriam Gurba is a writer and artist. She is the author of the memoir “Mean,” a New York Times editors’ choice. O, the Oprah Magazine, ranked “Mean” as one of the best LGBTQ books of all time. Publishers’ Weekly describes Gurba as having a voice like no other. Her essays and criticism have appeared in the Paris Review, TIME.com, and 4Columns. She has shown art in galleries, museums, and community centers. She exists on twitter as @lesbrains. She lives in Long Beach, California, with herself.
To learn more about Myriam: www.myriamgurba.com
Public Intellectuals is a magazine that analyzes politics, economics, race, labor, socioeconomic class, popular culture, and literature. We publish daily.