Grey Rose Grant

they/them

Primary Genres: poetry, lyrics, libretto, and public-facing copy for Riverside Arts Center

What do you love about Ypsilanti?

Too many things. First and foremost, I adore Ypsi’s creativity - it has such a vibrant homegrown arts scene across art forms, and I am lucky enough to experience it daily. I love how unabashedly queer Ypsi is - I love seeing and being a part of the queer folks, and especially trans folks, who feel a sense of comfort and relative safety here.

Lastly, and this might be a bit on the nose, but I love Ypsi because it’s my home. I, like many others in Ypsi, feel personally invested in nurturing Ypsi’s community at large. Ypsi is the first place where I finally felt comfortable enough to settle into one place. It’s where I’m building lasting relationships. And it’s where my partner and I are learning about ourselves and each other daily.

What do you believe is important about writing?

You’re going to laugh when you read on to my answer >:-)

It’s simplicity and clarity.

Well, I also love writing that allows for the multiplicity of meaning.

I guess the answer is context-dependent.

I promise I can write a coherent and straightforward sentence, but I’m also a bit shit at it. That’s why I admire those who are able to be incredibly impactful with few words. My mentor and old poetry prof Keith Taylor’s work exemplifies this.

You can read more about Grey and their writing at their website greyroseworks.com.