Black History Month Poetry Reading & Conversation

TONIGHT!

Kennedy Auditorium (Conaton Learning Commons 412)

Join us for a star-studded evening of poetry and conversation featuring Kimberly "DuWaup" Bolden, Marcus Donaldson, David Moody, and Zeda Stew, and hosted by Cincinnati and Mercantile Library Poet Laureate Yalie Saweda Kamara.

Free & open to the public. Registration required.

Presented in partnership with Xavier University.

About the poets:

Kimberly "Duwaup" Bolden

With over two decades of contributions and experience, Kimberly "DuWaup" Bolden, is an acclaimed author, poet, and singer/songwriter, who weaves her award-winning talents into the cultural tapestry of the region. Beyond her artistic pursuits, DuWaup assumes a pivotal role as the leader of the Southwest Ohio Minority Artists Alliance. This 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offers invaluable support to underrepresented artists through its three primary programs, DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam, Cincinnati Youth Poetry Slam (CYPS), and Independent Artists Mentorship (I AM). For a deeper dive into DuWaup's work, her mission, and her impact on the community, please visit www.duwaup.com.

Marcus Donaldson

Marcus Donaldson is a writer with a lot of questions. His work has appeared in The Cincinnati Review’s miCRo Series and The Burr Magazine. He is currently working on his first chapbook of poems and lives with his family on a hill just north of Cincinnati, Ohio.

David Moody

David Moody is a writer and Cincinnati native. He currently works full-time for an insurance company here in Cincinnati and attends Northern Kentucky University where he is studying Data Science. In his free time he enjoys writing poetry as well as listening to and playing music. In his writing he explores themes of faith, race, identity, and mental health among other things. He currently lives in Mount Auburn with his two cats Millie and Clara.

Zeda Stew

Zeda Stew is a passionate speaker and spoken word artist originally from Milwaukee, Wi based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Zeda possesses a diverse range of skills, including public speaking, competitive poetry, and project management. passionate about empowering through spoken word. She has also taken part in national slams, placing fifth at the Southern Fried Poetry Convention 2023 and sixth in the BlackBerryPeach Nationals 2023. Zeda believes that the written word helps individuals feel seen.

Moderator: Yalie Saweda Kamara

Yalie Saweda Kamara is a Sierra Leonean-American writer, educator, and researcher from Oakland, California. Kamara is the current Cincinnati and Mercantile Library Poet Laureate (2-year term) and a 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. She is the author of the debut full-length collection Besaydoo (Milkweed Editions, 2024), winner of the 2022-2023 Jake Adam York Prize. Kamara earned a PhD in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Cincinnati. She is an assistant professor of English at Xavier University and resides in Cincinnati. For more, please visit: www.yaylala.com