On July 9, Fire Island Artist Residency (FIAR) Board President and Interim Director Jeremy E. Steinke, notified members, friends, and supporters of FIAR, via email, of the untimely and unexpected passing, earlier that week, of April Freely, FIAR Executive Director since October 2020. She was born in 1982. She spoke at a Juneteenth ceremony, about the history of Indigenous People on Fire Island and Long Island, on Cherry Grove dock, on June 19.
Steinke wrote, of April, that “Her warmth, openness and drive helped forge new relationships on Fire Island, while also ushering in our first cohort of artists and poets post-COVID. Her presence and vision will be missed.” He cited her poems and essays, which “appeared in Gulf Coast, Ninth Letter, the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day series … She was a Queer Art Mentorship Fellow for the 2020-2021 season … April was a caring and thoughtful leader, a compassionate community organizer, an enthusiastic mentor and a wonderful friend. She was deeply committed to supporting LGBTQ poets and artists and expanding access for BIPOC communities.”
Information about a memorial service will be announced when it becomes available.
|
