Press Release - Third Thursday Poetry Night, August 20: Jason O'Toole
Dan Wilcox
The Poetry Motel Foundation
> Press Release -- for immediate release <
Jason O’Toole will read
at the Social Justice Center
Thursday, August 20, 7:30PM
Poet Jason O’Toole will read from his work at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 7:30PM, with an open mic for community writers.
Albany-born, Jason O’Toole is Poet Laureate Emeritus of North Andover, MA and was co-founder of the Anne Bradstreet Poetry Contest. He was the recipient of the 2025 Amy Lowell Prize and the 2026 judge for this contest; he also served as a judge for the Tom Nattell Peace Poetry Prize and the Capital District Slam Poetry Festival. His third full collection of poetry is The Strange Misgivings of the Sadly Gifted (Dead Man’s Press Ink).
July marked 20 years that the Third Thursday Poetry Night has been at the Social Justice Center with a monthly reading by a local or regional poet/writer & an open mic for audience members to read. Sign-up starts at 7:00PM, with the reading beginning at 7:30. The host of the readings is Albany poet and photographer Dan Wilcox. The suggested donation is $5.00, which helps support this and other poetry programs of the Poetry Motel Foundation, and the work of the Social Justice Center.
For more information about this event contact Dan Wilcox, 518-482-0262; e-mail: dwl...@gmail.com
The Social Justice Center, founded in 1981, is a non-profit organization working for progressive social change through education, community building and collective action. The center advances the struggles against racism and for peace and justice. For further information about the SJC call 518-434-4037.
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