Letters

Michael grew up in an extended family in Brooklyn with Irish cultural roots. Michael grappled with his faith while he became aware of his own sexuality and its complexity. Amid the LGBTQ human and civil rights struggle he wondered whether just one persons love and faith mattered. "Letters" is a story about one man finding his identity among greater societal changes.

Michael came to know several famous people and fought to find out where his own faith fit into the context of a country. After 30 years in teaching he became a school psychologist.

Michael Thomas Gilbride was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1954. He attended Columbia University for two years and has 4 graduate degrees from the City University of New York. He was an early supporter of human and civil rights for LGBTQ people in New York City. He's struggled with issues of faith and religion as well as politics. Michael has been married to Providencia Castro for the past 16 years. Together they had a pre-school nursery in Puerto Rico. Michael has worked as a School Psychologist since September 2000. Prior to that, he had a teaching career in public, parochial, and private schools that spanned 30 years. Michael and Providencia have traveled extensively. Providencia is the owner and operator of "Casa Carlina" in Levittown, Puerto Rico and has just published a book about her mother "Carlina" by Argentine author Iris Tocuyo. Michael produced the manuscript for Peter Orlovsky's first and only book of poems while working for Allen Ginsberg in the 1970's. Recently retired from 11 years of working as a School Psychologist and prior to that a 30 year career as a teacher; Michael looks forward to working in Puerto Rico as a psychologist/poet/writer.