The Brigade refers mostly to ‘The Brigade of Shahrzad’, the name and idea behind the constant celebrating of storytelling and reach-outs to various populations. We encourage anyone associated with The New World Lit Lab to become part of the Brigade, to solicit and encourage and lead folks whose stories are not usually told–from marginalized populations to those working in endangered languages to citizens in zones of conflict–to gather and generate and make public–somehow–their stories.
That said… The Brigade also refers to the political wing of the NWLL, for, indeed, we know where we are operating. And we embrace the notion of the poet engaged in political theatre, in many ways and forms, some out in the open, others in clandestine fashion. Yes, no choice. Must.