When Armieta Nabati, who also writes under the name of Mia Culpa, began attending literary readings in Los Angeles, she enjoyed being surrounded by writers but felt something was missing closer to home.
Nabati, a linguistics major at Pasadena City College who lives in Rancho Cucamonga, said she wanted to create a space for writers in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley. That idea became “The Soft Parade,” a literary reading series she co-organizes with Citrus College student Nick Mandala.
“The closest thriving literary scene that we have as an Inland Empire resident is in L.A.,” Nabati said. “I thought that was a shame.”
Nabati said she was inspired to create the series because she believed the region had a unique voice.
“Here, life has a different tone,” she said. “I wanted to create a space dedicated to that voice.”
Mandala studies English at Citrus College and has lived in the Glendora area for years. He said Nabati reached out to him because he was one of the only writers she knew locally.
“It was her noticing this lack of scene around us for literature,” Mandala said. “We have a bunch of local bands and artists, but there’s nothing like that for writing.”
The name “The Soft Parade” comes from a song by The Doors. Nabati said she and Mandala both liked the phrase and the image it evoked.
“It felt like a tender procession of people coming and reading their writing,” she said.
The reading series is hosted at CK Café, 930 W. Foothill Blvd. in Claremont, on the third Thursday of each month. Mandala said they chose the café because they had both spent time there and because the atmosphere fit their vision. He described it as one of the few local spaces open late where people can gather.
Nabati said she wanted to offer writers a space to share their work and connect with others.
“I hope I can offer them a caring and attentive audience,” she said. “You can get caught in your own feedback loop when you’re not sharing your work.”
The format of the event includes a curated reading segment followed by an open mic. Nabati said this allows them to highlight selected writers while still leaving space for anyone to share.
“We wanted one segment with a degree of focus,” she said. “But we also didn’t want it to be pretentious.”
Mandala said audience members have often surprised him. He remembered a high school student who read a war poem that stunned the room.
“People will surprise you,” he said. “It’s refreshing to see how wrong we can be and how much more we have to learn.”
Nabati said the project has changed how she views writing.
“It blew the echo chamber wide open for me,” she said. “There’s no one way your writing has to look. All it has to do is be yours.”
Mandala said he used to question whether he was “validated” enough to share his writing but now views sharing as essential.
“We’re born to share,” he said. “It’s an act of love to offer your work and to receive someone else’s.”
The Soft Parade has hosted two events and is planning a larger one in November featuring writers, musicians and visual artists.
The Associated Students of Citrus College Commissioner at Large Nicolas Estey, who attended the most recent reading, said the atmosphere felt calm and welcoming.
“The night was calm, people were quiet and relaxed, and the tea added a cozy warmth that made the whole experience feel peaceful and intimate,” Estey said in a text message.
He said the honesty of the readings stood out most.
“Everyone shared with such honesty and vulnerability,” he said. “Each person’s work reflected their lived experiences, which made the readings more engaging.”
Estey said the audience’s response was consistently supportive.
“There was a genuine sense of encouragement and appreciation in the room,” he said. “There wasn’t any pretense or competitiveness you might expect at similar events.”
He said events like this are important for the campus and community.
“Not only do they help people connect with others who share similar passions,” he said, “they also provide a platform for self-expression and foster a sense of belonging that’s deeply needed today.”
