Nomadic Press makes its place in Oakland
J.K. Fowler is hesitant to use the word “uplift” in describing the efforts of Nomadic Press, the nonprofit he founded in 2011. Particularly for a small nonprofit publisher located in Oakland, the idea of lifting up writers and artists — many of whom come from marginalized backgrounds — might pose a problem.
“The agency of the author pre-exists the publisher,” Fowler says in Nomadic Press’ office in uptown Oakland. “People of color and queer people of color, women, trans folks — they have been uplifting themselves forever. It doesn’t take a publisher to uplift them.”
The same goes for the arts community in Oakland. And for a young arts organization in a changing city to think in such savior terms would engender a certain wariness from locals. Fowler understands this skepticism: The notion of a newcomer situating an enterprise within Oakland — to “uplift” it — quickly suggests a certain attitude of forces that continue to dramatically alter the city.
But since Nomadic came to Oakland in 2013 following two fledgling years in Brooklyn, N.Y. (the press maintains a branch in Brooklyn and Des Moines, Iowa), Fowler has established the press as a responsive part of the community.
“When we first came in, one of the biggest things I tried to do was reach out to existing organizations and people that were already doing the work,” he says. “And I think it’s really important that especially newcomers don’t forget how many people are already doing the work.”
Nomadic Press, which also maintains a second space for events in the Fruitvale neighborhood, has since evolved into an active player in the Oakland arts scene. Most of the work that the press publishes — an annual literary journal along with books and seasonal chapbooks — comes from local writers who read their work at one of Nomadic’s many donation-based community events, including its popular monthly reading series, Get Lit.
“In that way, we’re trying to do something different,” Fowler says of the press’ process of discovering its authors. “We hear the writers in action. We see what community they bring with them, who they resonate with.”
The press is also developing the Nomadic Incubator Program, which will allow select writers and artists to use the downtown Oakland space for their own community projects — like Josiah Luis Alderete’s Latinx reading and open mike series or Celeste Chan’s queer trans writing group.
“The way I describe it is that we create platforms,” Fowler says. “We create platforms to lift up particular voices that should have been heard in the discussion in the first place. A lot of our writers are first-time authors. It’s their first book. Some of them — it’s crazy that it’s their first book.”
Through print and events, Nomadic has established itself as familial presence to these voices, a feeling Fowler felt was absent in Brooklyn and that ultimately inspired him to found the press. Yet the young nonprofit exists in a liminal moment.
“It’s an interesting position to be in because we’re at the beginning of this project, while outside so much has changed,” Fowler says.
In just the past five years or so, while Nomadic has worked to anchor itself in the community, Fowler has seen the neighborhood change, with competing interests taking hold of the city. Nevertheless, he has faith in writers and artists.
“I feel extremely optimistic about our community because our community is resilient,” he says. “They will continue to do the work wherever they are.”
Nomadic Press will celebrate the release of its fall 2018 chapbook collection on Saturday, Sept. 22.