Join us for or an open mic followed by Voices of Woodlawn featuring Patrick Washington, Diane Wilbon Parks, Sylvia Dianne Beverly (Ladi Di), and Hiram Larew with Clifford Bernier on the harmonica. (Zoom link.)

Four poets spent a day at the historic Woodlawn Plantation Estate in Fairfax, Virginia in 2019 and wrote about the largely unknown enslaved community that lived there. The resulting powerful poetry and artwork have been presented throughout the Washington, D.C. area.   

Clifford Bernier’s The Silent Art won the 2010 Gival Press PoetryAward. He appears on harmonica in the Accumulated Dust world music series.   

Diane Wilbon Parks is a poet, visual artist, and author. One of her poems and artwork has been installed as a permanent sign at the Patuxent Research Refuge - North Tract in Laurel, Md.   

Sylvia Dianne Beverly (Ladi Di) is an internationally acclaimed poet, presenting poetry In Brixton, London, England, at the Lewisham Theater. Her most recent honor is Prince George’s County Poet of Excellence 2020.   

Hiram Larew’s poems have appeared widely and have been nominated for four Pushcart Prizes. His Poetry X Hunger initiative is bringing poets from around the world to the anti-hunger cause.    

Patrick Washington was forged in Washington D.C.’s vibrant U Street Arts community of the 1990s, and as part of several dynamic ensembles over the years, is known for moving seamlessly between classic styles of poetry and hip-hop. He will begin 2021 serving as Poetry Director for Words Beats & Life, Inc., as well as running the Youth Poet Laureate Program for the DMV region.

As usual, we will begin with an open mic and then proceed to the Voices of Woodlawn.  If you wish to read, bring one poem and when you sign in, leave your name in the chat.