Julia McDonald — Anthologies — The Good Listening Project

About this Anthology

Hysteriography is a collection of listening poems and origin stories, birthed from intimate conversations and bound in a hand-screen-printed cover (by Little Chair Printing). In conjunction with The Good Listening Project, physician poet Julia McDonald elevates lived uterus experiences with lyrical language and vivid imagery while spanning an emotional spectrum from heartbreak to grrrl power humor. Arriving into a divided and violent world at a critical time for people with uteruses and those who love them, Hysteriography is a perfect antidote for these times: applicable, timely, and devastatingly beautiful.

All proceeds after publication costs will be donated equally to The Good Listening Project, SisterSong, and National Abortion Federation.

The image shown is the cover of *Say Her Name: Honoring Henrietta Lacks' Legacy and Impact on Medicine and Research Ethics* and contains a teal background with white text.

This anthology features poems by Listener Poets from The Good Listening Project (TGLP), inspired by one-on-one conversations with 13 women in the Cedars-Sinai community. The poems capture both the participants’ personal and professional experiences, as well as their reflections on Henrietta Lacks’ legacy. This collaboration is part of both organizations’ commitment to advancing research and health equity, offering a multi-layered narrative that underscores the ongoing importance of health justice today.

“To the Lacks family, we offer this poetry anthology as a gesture of gratitude, recognition, and continued advocacy. Henrietta’s gift to the world is immeasurable, and we hope to offer something in return: the promise that her name, her story, and her humanity will never be forgotten.”

- Cedars-Sinai Editors

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Poems in this Collection

We Shall Know Her Name

Conversation with Kimako Desvignes DNP, RN, Associate Director of Oncology with almost 30 years of experience in medicine, was an emotional journey through a history of social injustice and racial discrimination—a reflection on ancestry at times through shared tears. Henrietta Lacks’ story had a powerful impact on us both.

'O ka mele

Her childhood was infused with Hawaiian-Polynesian music and dance, taught to her father by his mother. Today, her life’s work is to connect the unbelievable discoveries of molecularly focused pre-clinical research directly to the patient experience of treatment.

Hidden Figures

Professionally, for this person, Henrietta Lacks’ story represents the need to critically examine our research infrastructure. “Private companies benefit from publicly-funded research without a requirement to give back to ensure the viability of future research.”

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