Heads up, Portland people: the Blue Sweater Collective is holding its first ever benefit reading next Thursday, 24 April 2025, to support the new Julian Nelson Memorial Scholarship at Clark College. Come out and show your support for fine writing and remarkable community college students!

Readers of this blog know how much Julian Nelson meant to the Clark College community. And the excellent Relevant Coffee has teamed up with the Clark College Foundation to host a benefit reading from the members of Julian’s old writing group, the Blue Sweater Collective, to raise funds for the first (hopefully annual) Julian Nelson Memorial Scholarship at Clark. If you knew and loved Julian (and if you knew him, you loved him), or if you love the mission of community colleges–one of America’s most misunderstood and valuable public goods–I hope we will see you at Relevant next Thursday!