Jewelle Gomez, (Cabo Verdean/Wampanoag/Ioway) is a playwright, novelist, poet and cultural worker who was born and raised in Boston, MA. She is the author of eight books including the first Black Lesbian vampire novel, THE GILDA STORIES, which has been in print continuously for more than 30 years. She was commissioned by the Urban Bush Women Company (NYC) to adapt the novel for a full dance piece with music by Toshi Reagon; it toured 13 US cities (1997). The book was recently optioned by Cheryl Dunye ("Watermelon Woman" "Lovecraft Country") for a television mini-series.Her novel, THE GILDA STORIES, won two Lambda Literary Awards. She was the recipient of a Legacy Award from Horror Writers of America (2021); a Trailblazer Award from the Golden Crown Literary Society (2016); the Barbary Coast Vanguard Award from LitQuake (2016); and was a Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshall for the San Francisco 2019 PRIDE Parade.