On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at 5 p.m. PDT / 8 p.m. EDT, the founding members of the Poetry Coalition present One Poem: A Protest Reading in Support of Black Lives.
The virtual reading was broadcast live via Crowdcast and YouTube (closed captioning available). VIDEO here
Poets reading include: Prisca Afantchao, Sojourner Ahebee, Kazim Ali, Kimberly Blaeser, Jericho Brown, Meera Dasgupta, Kwame Dawes, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Safia Elhillo, Martín Espada, Sesshu Foster, Kimberly Jae, Raina J. León, Mwatabu Okantah, Alberto Ríos, Terisa Siagatonu, Matthew Thompson, Emma Trelles, Nikki Wallschlaeger, Monica Youn, and avery r. young.
Attendees of the Poetry Coalition's One Poem: A Protest Reading in Support of Black Lives are encouraged to learn more about and to contribute funds to Black-led and Black-serving organizations working against injustice. Where to Give & Other Resources.
About The Poetry Coalition
The Poetry Coalition is a national alliance of more than 25 organizations dedicated to working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. Members are nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is to promote poets and poetry, and/or multi-genre literary organizations that serve poets with disabilities and of specific racial, ethnic, or gender identities, backgrounds, or communities. All members present poets at live events. Each March, members also present programming across the country on a theme of social importance. The Poetry Coalition is coordinated by the Academy of American Poets and we are grateful to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for its support of this work.
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More from Tongo Eisen-Martin at The Poetry Center
The Poetry Center’s inaugural Mazza Writer in Residence, with a rare solo reading + extended conversation with the audience:
Tongo Eisen-Martin: October 5, 2017
First time ever duo performance with master drummer Marshall Trammell:
Tongo Eisen-Martin with Marshall Trammell: October 7, 2017
Reading and in conversation with Jasmine Gibson — both of them just stunning — here:
Tongo Eisen-Martin and Jasmine Gibson: September 8, 2016