Sam Slupski (they/them) is a nonfiction writer and poet from Kansas, with roots in Texas, now living on the Olympic Peninsula. They are the author of UNTIL TENDER (Game Over Books).In their work, Sam interrogates the mental health and medical industrial complex, the politics of care, and the wellness industry. They also write about their lived experience with intergenerational healing, queerness, and chronic illness. They are a disability justice advocate, speaking out against pandemic denial, the realities of Long COVID, and encouraging everyday safety precautions to protect against disabling viruses. Sam has worked with St. Louis Queer Support & Healing, focusing on community consciousness-raising, outreach, and communications skill-building. They were the former Program Director of Poetic Underground and a teaching artist with Austin Bat Cave. They’ve headlined events like the Melbourne Spoken Word Poetry Festival, competed in several national slam poetry competitions, toured the US and Canada, and were a Button Poetry Chapbook Contest finalist. Sam sends out a quarterly snail mail newsletter called Slow Post. Their digital archive can be found at their online newsletter, Nourishing Notes, and on Instagram at @theyaresam.