Welcome to ‘Poeting Queer History’, where we celebrate the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ experiences through the power of poetry. In a world where our voices may be marginalised, here they will find fertile ground to flourish. It’s time for us to reclaim our narratives, to speak our truths with pride and passion. Showcasing the theme of Queer history (in Amsterdam) in its broadest form. The evening will kick off with a short lecture by a queer historian, followed by four spoken word poetry performances highlighting the queer history of Amsterdam. We’ll wrap up with a lively “Queer & Answer” session featuring our performers and the historian. Hosted by Tuaca Kelly, this night invites everyone from all sexualities, backgrounds, gender and affiliations with poetry or history to enjoy a night of community.
About the speakers
Martijn Orlando (He/Him)
As a child I made self-written books with stories and drawings. Later I wrote poems and now I write about my history and my queer life as an Asian gay man with a trans history. I think it is important to tell the stories from the early Dutch trans and gay history in the 80s and early 90s, so that they are not forgotten.
Jonathan Tjien Fooh (He/Him)
Jonathan Tjien Fooh is a Surinamese-born writer, poet, and cultural anthropologist, currently based in Amsterdam. His poetry and spoken word explore themes such as queer intimacy, ecological imagination, migration, the colonial past and its continuities, and ancestral memory. A common thread in his work is a desire to question dominant systems, foster connections across different communities, and invite people to embrace the vulnerability of being human. Remixing Dutch, Sranan Tongo, English, and Ngoko Jawa (informal Javanese), he creates layered, multilingual narratives that restory and breathe life into erased and forgotten (hi)stories.
ANETH (He/They)
I’m ANETH, a French-born writer, performer and movie maker that sometimes appears on stage as Muby Dyke. I co-edit the revue La Beïbyz and I’m currently co-creating the movie The Butch and the Bride.
Luka Prelas (She/Her/Hers)
Luka Prelas is a Croatian-bred, Zaandam-based writer, spoken word artist, and classical saxophonist on hiatus. Through her work, she explores all facets of human existence through a trans lens, like womanhood, traumas, love aches, and other people’s problems with her (trans) womanhood. She won a feminist performance prize at the 2nd Queer and Feminist Awards in 2023, got published in Issue Amsterdam magazine in 2024, performed at events at Poetry International and Labyrinth, and continues hustling through the Dutch spoken word and literary scene. Luka thinks of her style as exorcism-like, often angry, seldom sweet, with a sprinkle of body horror and a dash of hope.
Elyzabeth Gorman (she/her)
Is the passionate founder and sole researcher behind Badass Tours, dedicated to uncovering and sharing Amsterdam’s hidden histories. Her storytelling journey began in American theater, where she wrote and researched plays about women in history.
After moving to Amsterdam, Elyzabeth discovered a wealth of untold stories about women, Jewish communities, LGBTQ+ pioneers, and Asian, Black, and Caribbean figures. These incredible narratives, often buried in either Dutch or the Dutch-language archives, inspired her mission to make Amsterdam’s diverse history accessible to an international audience.
Elyzabeth has performed at renowned venues like the Amsterdam Museum, Van Gogh Museum, the City Archive, Pakhuis de Zwijger, the Rode Hoed, the Holocaust Museum and the Jewish Museum, among others. She has been a regular storyteller at Mezrab House of Stories. She has personally guided thousands through Amsterdam, blending her deep research and passion for storytelling to bring history to life. Her work, along with the guides she onboards, ensures that the stories of Amsterdam’s changemakers are remembered, celebrated, and shared with the world.
About the hosts
Tuaca Kelly is an American poet, performance artist, creative producer and philosopher – most known for her unique wordplay, uncanny improvisation, unpredictable humor and ability to connect with the audience. Originally from San Francisco, and inspired by the iconic leather daddies she encountered in her youth, she represents the Generation X as a fierce femmeDaddy.
Leonie de Waal
Is a writer, poet and student. Their work focuses on the big ideas in the small and everyday, highlighting that she is young and queer and figuring out life. Every month she co-hosts and organizes a Queer Poetry open mic at Pakhuis de Zwijger for Unwanted Words and intern at Theatre Bellevue. In 2023 she debuted with her chapbook ‘Wanneer ik groot ben, wil ik gelukkig zijn’ (When I grow up, I want to be happy).
