FOUR POETS WILL TAKE THE STAGE!
If you love it, clap, snap and make some noise.
If you extra love it, drop them a tip at their venmo.
Want to take some poetry home? It’s a great idea.
Before and after the show many poets
from the series will have their work for sale.
4 More Shows! Many more poets!
Isabella
Salcedo
Isabella Salcedo (she/her) is a poet, oral historian, and educator from Central Virginia.
She writes with a sense of urgency and determination for life after experiencing a school shooting in college. Through her poetry, she hopes to understand her histories, her capacity for empathy and gratitude, her people and places she calls home. Isabella has been published in UVAToday, Zaum, Cafe MFA, and VMag.
WHO IS ISABELLA?
Sophia
Duchin
Sophia Duchin is a 26 year old emerging poet who lives in Washington DC.
Her work explores themes of self exploration, internal conflict, and observations on the natural world and her place in it. She is deeply inspired by the work of Tracy K. Smith and Mary Oliver.
WHO IS SOPHIA?
Jayla
Rose
Hart
Jayla Rose is a Harlem born, Las Vegas bred, D.C. based writer and poet.
Jayla honors her experiences as a Black lesbian through writing that explores freedom dreaming, historical truth telling, and radical healing. Her poems have appeared in V Mag, Virginia Literary Review, America’s Future: Poetry and Prose in Response to Tomorrow, and the edited volume, After Emancipation.
WHO IS JAYLA?
C. Alexandria
Bernard
An unstoppable force of creativity, activism, and inspiration. As a Queer Black Non-Binary Poet and survivor of child abuse, Chris has transformed lived experience into a life of service using poetry, teaching, and advocacy to champion healing and justice for marginalized communities.
C. was recognized as a Pioneer of Poetry by the National Underground Spoken Word Poetry Award (NUSPA) in 2015. They have the rare ability to captivate audiences as a performer while also guiding communities as a host, educator, and organizer.
Their work has been featured at leading institutions such as Georgetown University, Howard University, Angelina College, and Jefferson University, as well as cultural spaces.
Beyond the stage, C’s. impact reaches deep into community healing. They are a certified facilitator of Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children® program, teaching adults how to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. Through their acclaimed workshop Writing to Wellness™, C. empowers survivors to use poetry as a tool for healing while navigating childhood trauma.
Their advocacy and artistry have earned honorable mentions from World Childhood Foundation USA, Buddy Speaks, and End the Harvest Ministries, and they made history as the first poet ever featured in Swerv Magazine. Their voice and vision have also appeared in The New York Times,
The Zebra, Canvas Rebel Magazine, and more.
With every performance, classroom, keynote, or workshop, C. embodies love in action. They stand as a beacon of hope and empowerment amplifying the voices of survivors, youth, and marginalized communities. Through poetry, advocacy, and a commitment to positive change, C. is shaping a more inclusive, compassionate world.
Teaching Artist Roles
2016 – Poetry Workshop Facilitator, Split This Rock (Washington, DC)
2017 – Poetry Specialist, DC SCORES (Washington, DC)
2018 – Teaching Artist, Change Conference (Washington, DC)
2019 – Resident Teaching Artist, Heard (Alexandria, VA), Teaching Artist, Carlos Rosario International Charter School (Washington, DC)
2020 – Resident Teaching Artist, Creative Suitland Arts Center (Suitland, MD), Summer Resident Teaching Artist, End the Harvest Ministries (Mt. Rainier, MD)
2022 – Teaching Artist, St. Charles High School (White Plains, MD), Teaching Artist, KIPP PCS (Washington, DC)
2023 – Teaching Artist, Georgetown University (Washington, DC), Lead Teaching Artist, Prince George’s Community College (Largo, MD), Teaching Artist, Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (Suitland, MD)
2024 – Lead Teaching Artist, Brightwood Education Campus (Washington, DC), Lead Teaching Artist, Moten Elementary School (Washington, DC), Lead Teaching Artist, Chamberlain Elementary School (Washington, DC), Teaching Artist, Creative Minds PCS (Washington, DC), Lead Teaching Artist, Center City PCS – Congress Heights (Washington, DC), Lead Teaching Artist, Columbia Heights Educational Campus (Washington, DC)
Speaking & Community Engagements
2015 – Keynote Speaker, Child Abuse Prevention Awareness, Angelina College (Diboll, TX)
2016 – Keynote Speaker, Project Beacon of Hope Fundraiser (Washington, DC)
2022 – Keynote Speaker, Navigating Childhood Trauma Through Poetry, Prince George’s Community College (Largo, MD)
2022–2024 – Keynote Speaker & Pinwheel Garden Organizer, Child Abuse Prevention Awareness, Charles Hill Park (Alexandria, VA)
Publications
Moodz’ Ring (2004)
Voices Carry (2008)
Coloring Outside the Lines (2013)
Bernard’s Bedroom (2017)
Reclamation. (2023)
Depression Made Write This (2024)
Featured Publications
Stoked Words: An Anthology of Queer Poetry (2018)
Swerv Magazine (2018)
Imagoes: A Queer Anthology (2019)
Purple Poetry Book: A Survivor’s Anthology (2022)
Black Minds Publishing (2022)
The New York Times (2021)
The Zebra (2022)
Canvas Rebel Magazine (2023)
Bold New Journey Magazine (2024)
Awards & Honors
2017 – Authorized Stewards of Children Facilitator, Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center
2019 – Literary Fellowship, Split This Rock
2022 – Survivor Leadership Honoree, World Childhood Foundation USA
