St. Paul, MN - based writer and activist Randy Stern will read excerpts from his book of poetry, The Boy From Reseda, at the Black Dog Café, 308 Prince Street in St. Paul’s Lowertown district on Friday, May 6, 2005. The event will begin at 7:00pm with Stern and other guest readers from the local arts community participating. Stern will have books for sale on hand at the reading and will be available to discuss the work with those in attendance.

Randy Stern grew up in the community of Reseda, California - a working class suburb surrounded by the wealth, glamour, and affluence of the San Fernando Valley. Growing up the child of divorced parents, to later coming out as a gay man who did not fit society's "ideal" of Gay Culture, Randy shows us through his poetry, the rough edges of personal triumph, struggle, acceptance, comedy, and hope of life in The Boy From Reseda.