Ariana Brown
Ariana Brown is a queer Black Mexican American poet from San Antonio, TX. She is the recipient of two Academy of American Poets Prizes and a 2014 national collegiate slam champion. Ariana is lowkey a curandera and highkey the yungest abuela you will ever meet.
Marshall Gillson
Marshall "Gripp" Gillson is a multimedia writer and performer (film, theater, songs, poetry). In 2016 and 2017, they appeared on back-to-back National Poetry Slam final stages and won at back-to-back Vox Pop poetry tournaments. In 2018, their first short film premiered at the Roxbury International Film Festival. Their art explores race, gender, mental health, loneliness, existential dread, and not infrequently robots.
Porsha Olayiwola
Porsha Olayiwola is a writer, performer, educator and curator who uses afro-futurism and surrealism to examine historical and current issues in the Black, woman, and queer diasporas. She is an Individual World Poetry Slam Champion and is the current poet laureate for the city of Boston.
Janae Johnson
Janae Johnson is a writer, performer, educator, curator, DJ and host. She is a Woman of the World + National Poetry Slam Champion and Write Bloody Book Award Finalist. Her work has appeared on PBS Newshour, ESPN and encompasses Black masculinity, queerness, women's basketball and her love for Motown music.
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