In Volume Five: Chapter Six, we welcome Poet, Essayist, Freelance Writer, Critic, and Author of the forthcoming novel "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer", friend of the Podcast Robert Lashley.

Robert is a 2016 Jack Straw Fellow, a nominee for a Stronger Genius Award, and an Artist Trust Fellow. This was his second appearance on the program.

Contact Robert:
Instagram: @misterlashley
Threads: @misterlashley

Recorded Spoken Word Performances Featured Include:

Brandon Alexander Williams – Black Woman Studies
Instagram: brandonalexanderwilliams
Threads: brandonalexanderwilliams

Muna Abdulahi – Pronounce Us Correctly
Instagram: munaabdulahi_
Threads: munaabdulahi_
Website: munaabdulahi.com

Anyrah Shaveh – If We Must Die Young
Instagram: iamshaveh
Website: anyrahshaveh.com

Moody Black – Eight Letters
Instagram: iammoodyblack
Website: iammoodyblack.com

Gayle Danley – Rough
Instagram: gayledanley

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In Volume Five: Chapter Five, we welcome Teaching Artists, Poet, Dancer, Spoken Word Artist, and Author of the book Becoming The Artist Volume One, Tarika Holland.

Contact Tarika:

Instagram: @tarikaholland
Instagram: bec0mingtheartist

Featured Performance Poets in This Chapter:
Ariana Brown – We Never Did This to Be Beautiful
Instagram: @arianathepoet Website: arianabrown.com

Crystal Valentine – Black Privilege
Instagram: crystalvalentine94
Website: iamcrystalvalentine.com

Ebony Stewart – Mental Health Barz
Instagram: gullyprincess
Website: ebpoetry.com

Matthew Cuban Hernandez – Challenger
Instagram: matthewcuban Website: matthewcuban.com

Edwin Bodney – Good Morning
Instagram: edwinbodney

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In Volume Five: Chapter Four we welcome back to the Program Page Poet, Spoken Word Artist, and Author of the book Far From Broken, Kelsey Bigelow.

From Her Website:

Kelsey Bigelow is a poet and speaker based in Des Moines. She spends her time working as a mental health poet sharing this therapeutic tool with audiences of all ages across the world. She is the author of four poetry projects, including her latest book "Far From Broken." Her work is published with several small presses and journals. Kelsey is a 2024 Pushcart Prize nominee, a 2023 Button Poetry Video Contest Finalist, and a 2023 Central Avenue Poetry Prize finalist.

As a performer, Kelsey has worked with organizations such as The Mayo Clinic, NAMI, Planned Parenthood, and more. Videos of her work can be found on YouTube, Button Poetry, Ghost Poetry Show, and elsewhere. ​

She's the founder of the Des Moines Poetry Workshop, the chair for the Iowa Poetry Association Poetry Slam, a teaching artist in the Des Moines community, the director for the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam, and a founding member of the 2025 io-what poetry slam team.

Contact Kelsey:

Instagram: @kelkaybpoetry
Website: kelkaybpoetry.com

Featured Performance Poets in This Chapter:
Wayne Henry – Theophobia
Instagram: dreadful_poet

Jae Nichelle – Afro So Big
Instagram: @croptopassassian
Website: jaenichelle.com

Emi Mahmoud – Window Games
Instagram: @emibattua
Website: emi-mahmoud.com

God's Ink – Pennies
Instagram: @gods_ink_spokenword

Alexandria Bennett – Sapiosexual
Instagram: @caffeinatedliving
Website: alexandriabennett.com

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