Becoming

A fresh and singular voice for today's young poetry audience, Gray Lee (they/them) represents a new generation of Appalachian poets--bold, unyielding, and unapologetically themselves. Their work is deeply personal and transformative, reaching for connection but never hinging on approval. Whether embraced or not, Lee's voice remains steady, powerful, and necessary. A rising force from the South, Gray Lee's first chapbook, Becoming suggests a poet to be reckoned with--and the future is certain to hear more of their voice. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gray Lee (they/them), a native of Hickory, North Carolina, is an English and Creative Writing major at Lenoir-Rhyne University. A queer poet from Appalachia, Lee explores the influence of religious ideals on identity, expression, and lived experience. Through their work, Lee hopes to connect with and inspire other emerging writers and queer youth to understand that thriving is supremely better than merely surviving.