Hi! Just pasting my author's bio for convenience. Julian Francis Park lives in Oakland, CA and writes poems, narrative, literary criticism, and social theory. Through the Bay Area Public School J facilitates a weekly writing workshop, “Writing with world stuff,” at the Omni Commons, where J also is on the Communications and Challenging Dominant Cultures working groups. J works, and trains others to work, intake in Causa Justa/Just Cause’s Tenants’ Rights Clinic. J received an MFA in poetry from Mills College.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Aside from the prospect of meeting cool people—because it's cheaper than hotels, and not promoting gentrification like Airbnb does

Interests

• literature
• poetry
• radical politics
• critical theory

Music, Movies, and Books

Books are everything to me. Contemporary small press poetry, radical history, and critical/social theory on all types of subjects. Also speculative & weird fiction.

Movies—I don't make as much time for anymore. I lean somewhat more toward interest the kinds of subject matter & approaches that used to be independent films only, but I can get into pretty much anything. Horror, not so much.

I like music with layers that can get my often still body moving. Mostly I listen while reading / doing other things & I find ambient, dance, and experimental electronic music as well as jazz (bop & later) allow me to check in and out. I also love a range of hip hop (backpack to trap), punk (& derivatives), r&b (from early 20th century to today, & including artists like FKA Twigs and Frank Ocean that defy label).

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: writing & political organizing techniques.
Learn: anything, I love learning about everything.
Share: everything we can.

What I Can Share with Hosts

cooking, cleaning, beer money