Charlie Becker is a semi-retired speech therapist who has lived in West Hollywood, California for more than 20 years. Some of his earlier poems are included in a collection created by LGBT seniors called, “My Life is Poetry”. He is also a graduate of the Community Literature Initiative program founded by Hiram Sims. Charlie’s first book of poetry Friends My Poems Gave Me, which features some of his original artwork, debuted in July 2016.