Writer's Room
From Here We Build is a vibrant collection of poems written by LGBTQ+ young people at the beginning of their creative careers. Featuring original work from participants of The Future Perfect Project’s ongoing Writer’s Room workshop, this collection is both a celebration of queer self-expression and a testament to the resilience of young artists carving out space for themselves in the world.
Culminating in writing prompts and blank journal pages, From Here We Build is more than just a book, it’s an invitation. The reader gets to create for themselves and be part of building a future where every person is free to be exactly who they are.
This anthology features original writings by fifteen queer young people (ages 13-20) from across North America who have previously participated in a workshop by The Future Perfect Project, a national arts initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ youth.
✨Veronica Butler
✨Virgil Beaty
✨Helix Carpenter
✨Evan Ancon Cazalas
✨Eric Eubank
✨Stellan Knowles
✨Parker Mackenzie
✨Bluebird Monroe
✨Lily Ariel Mueller
✨Ari Ochoa Petzold
✨Seoyeon Park
✨Pip
✨Sam Silva
✨Lily Thomas
✨Simon Ventura
Foreword by V (formerly Eve Ensler) – V is the Tony Award-winning playwright, activist, performer, and author of the Obie award-winning theatrical phenomenon The Vagina Monologues, published in over 48 languages, performed in over 140 countries, and heralded by The New York Times as one of the “best American plays” of the past 25 years and that “no recent hour of theater has had a greater impact worldwide.” Visit V's website here.
Introduction by Celeste Lecesne – Celeste is an Academy Award-winning writer of the short film TREVOR and co-founder of both The Trevor Project and The Future Perfect Project, where they serve as artistic director. They’ve authored three young adult novels, including The Letter Q, and created several acclaimed solo shows such as The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, Word of Mouth, and One Man Band. Visit Celeste's site here.
“These poets are brave gender explorers cast out in a non-binary galaxy, willing to be lost, willing to sacrifice safety for discovery, acceptance for becoming.”
V (formerly Eve Ensler)
author of The Vagina Monologues
Live Reading Event
On May 20, 2025, we hosted a live virtual reading featuring several brilliant young writers, editors, and members of the From Here We Build community, followed by a short Q&A with the audience.
Watch the replay below ⤵️