The Burning Key is a testament to the communities and legacies that sustain intimate relationships and bridge intergenerational social movements. A student and teacher of history, Gates's literary legacy lies in her unflinching awareness that brings wounds to surface and violence to account, commemorating necessary truths with clear-eyed accuracy as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Featuring new work, poetry from limited editions, and selections from previously published books selected by the author, The Burning Key is a meditation on hope as resistance.