Join us for an evening with Danielle Bero celebrating her poetry chapbook Sweet Queens, a lyrical homage to Astoria and the ever-evolving spirit of Queens. Through vivid, emotionally resonant poems, Bero captures the textures of a neighborhood shaped by memory, community, and change—where joy, loss, and identity intertwine.
Sweet Queens moves through subway rides, summer nights, and the intimate moments that define a life rooted in place. At its core, the collection reflects on what it means to belong to a city that is constantly shifting, grappling with the beauty and ache of transformation, gentrification, and the lingering presence of those who came before. Both deeply personal and collectively felt, these poems honor the voices and experiences that make Queens what it is—and what it was.
In conversation, Bero will discuss the inspiration behind the collection, her connection to Astoria, and how poetry can serve as both archive and elegy. This is a celebration of place, memory, and the stories we carry with us.
The event will include a reading, discussion, audience Q&A, and a book signing.