Black Poets Society 2021 :: GOOD GRIEF

Blackness, whiteness and otherness: words, when strung together, that may cause discomfort and awkwardness. Join us in that discomfort for a retreat, as we celebrate Black History Month. African-American poetry and the spoken word will guide us in dialogue to hear from our community differently, to know one another differently, to see justice and reconciliation differently.

Format: This is three-hour retreat, meant to be contemplative and solo in nature: we will not be doing small breakout sessions. Readers will share a broad range of historic and modern poetry by Black writers. Attendees will respond in writing during a personal reflection time and then discuss in a larger group online conversation. There will be optional writing/discussion groups in the weeks afterwards.

You should come to this event if you are:

• Passionate about poetry and the spoken word
• Seeking contemplative space to reflect and rest
• Hungry to listen, learn and engage in dialogue around racial justice and reconciliation
• Curious about Black History Month and how it affects your life and community
• Wanting to hear a broader set of human stories

Open to all, together we build empathy, explore otherness and create a safe space to uncover hard or even previously unknown conversations around cultural points of conflict in America with the foundational belief that love changes everything. We welcome people of all races, countries of origin, sexual orientations, genders and abilities. #blackpoetssociety

Art by: Loveis Wise