Kalamazoo Poetry Festival

Let the World Suggest the Poem with Alen Hamza
2026-04-11 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Detroit) | KNAC, 315 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007-5007, United States
REGISTRATION REQUIRED- LINK BELOW
Let the World Suggest the Poem: Use everyday language and surroundings as inspiration to spark poems through curiosity, play, and openness.

Let the World Suggest the Poem
When writing poems, we often begin by engaging with the most intimate parts of ourselves. We rummage through the contents of our lives and minds, waiting for a spark of inspiration to break the blankness of the page. But what if we trust someone/something else to set the stage for our poem? In this workshop, we will experiment with the writing process by letting our surroundings and the words of others be the entry points to our work. In a spirit of receptivity, curiosity, and playfulness, we will engage with the forms of language that we encounter in the everyday and build a bridge between the external and the internal, inviting others to guide us to ourselves.

The Fire This Time with jessica Care moore
2026-04-11 11:30 - 13:00 | KNAC, 315 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007-5007, United States
REGISTRATION REQUIRED- LINK BELOW
jessica Care moore explores poems and inspires participants to use art for social change. Poetry is resistance art.

The Fire This Time
jessica Care moore explores poems and
inspires participants to use art for social
change. Poetry is resistance art. Come
with your pen ready & heart & mind open.

Creative Workshop Rhythm and Words at Fire
2026-04-11 12:00 - 14:00 | Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative, 1249 Portage Street, Kalamazoo, MI, 49001, United States
Facilitators EgypTrinity and Quincy Ellis lead a creative workshop.
Where poetry meets sound. Where voice meets beat. Where you meet your next level. Join us for an immersive workshop blending spoken word, rhythm, and creative expression_ whether you write, perform or are just getting started, this space is for YOU!

Craft Talk 2026
2026-04-11 15:30 - 16:30 | Epic Center, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, United States
Join KPF for the 2026 Craft Talk between jessica Care moore and Alen Hamza, moderated by Dane Hudson. Stay for a short coffee break, before the Finale Poetry Reading at 5pm.
This event takes place upstairs at the Epic Center, in the Cori Terry Theatre.
jessica Care moore:
jessica Care moore is an award-winning poet, recording artist, book publisher, activist, cultural arts curator, and filmmaker who has become one of the leading voices of her generation; she is Detroit’s Poet Laureate (appointed in 2024), the Executive Producer and Founder of the 20-year-old rock & roll concert and empowerment weekend Daughters of Betty – Powered by Black WOMEN Rock!, founder of The Moore Art House 501(c)(3), and the founder of Moore Black Press, which has published poets including Saul Williams, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, asha bandele, and Danny Simmons; she has recorded her poetry with Hip Hop legends like Common, Nas, Jeezy, Talib Kweli, Karriem Riggins, Jeff Mills, The Last Poets, Jose James, and Roy Ayers, is the author of *The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth*, *The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto*, *God is Not an American*, *Sunlight Through Bullet Holes* and *We Want Our Bodies Back*, and her poetry and voice are featured on the 4th floor of the Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History.
Alen Hamza:
Alen Hamza immigrated to the United States from Bosnia-Herzegovina as a refugee at the age of fifteen. He is the author of Twice There Was a Country, chosen by Brenda Hillman as the winner of the CSU Poetry Center First Book Award. His poems have appeared widely in literary journals, including AGNI, The Southern Review, Waxwing, Fence, and The Missouri Review. He has an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Utah. He has received fellowships from the Michener Center for Writers, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and the University of Utah. Hamza lives in Kalamazoo, where he is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Western Michigan University.

About Dane:
Healing, accountability, and belonging are at the heart of everything I do. As a non-binary, Black masc-identified creative and community organizer born and raised in Detroit, I’ve spent over 15 years helping organizations and individuals navigate the hard work of transformation. My experience spans nonprofit and for-profit spaces, where I specialize in facilitating training, developing curriculum, and shifting organizational cultures to center inclusion and belonging. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Organizational Communication, my work emphasizes the importance of intentionality, equity, and sustainable change.
As a writer, poet, and spoken word artist, I use storytelling and creativity to build connection and inspire action. I’ve taught poetry workshops in alternative learning settings, juvenile homes, and after-school programs, and I’ve curated spaces for open expression through hosting open mic events. Grounded in my lived experiences—including overcoming homelessness and mental health challenges—I approach every aspect of my work with empathy, authenticity, and a commitment to collective healing.

Finale Poetry Reading and Reception
2026-04-11 17:00 - 19:00 | Epic Center, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, United States
RSVP IS NOT REQUIRED BUT IT IS APPRECIATED! RSVP HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finale-reception-kalamazoo-poetry-festival-tickets-1981453153722?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE FACEBOOK EVENT HERE: https://www.facebook.com/share/17sdo9JWH2/

Help the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival welcome our 2026 featured poets jessica Care moore and Alen Hamza. This year, we will be hosted by the wonderful folks at the Wellspring Dance Company, in their Cori Terry Theatre. The theatre will house our Finale Reading, and then we will head downstairs to the Black Arts and Cultural Center for the catered reception.
The Finale poetry reading will be ASL interpreted, please spread the word!
Parking information has been made available in the information section of this event. Please read it carefully, yes, it is possible to park downtown! The Epic Center is conveniently located near two parking structures, and there is street parking available.
You can read more about our poets below.
jessica Care moore:
jessica Care moore is an award-winning poet, recording artist, book publisher, activist, cultural arts curator, and filmmaker who has become one of the leading voices of her generation; she is Detroit’s Poet Laureate (appointed in 2024), the Executive Producer and Founder of the 20-year-old rock & roll concert and empowerment weekend Daughters of Betty – Powered by Black WOMEN Rock!, founder of The Moore Art House 501(c)(3), and the founder of Moore Black Press, which has published poets including Saul Williams, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, asha bandele, and Danny Simmons; she has recorded her poetry with Hip Hop legends like Common, Nas, Jeezy, Talib Kweli, Karriem Riggins, Jeff Mills, The Last Poets, Jose James, and Roy Ayers, is the author of *The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth*, *The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto*, *God is Not an American*, *Sunlight Through Bullet Holes* and *We Want Our Bodies Back*, and her poetry and voice are featured on the 4th floor of the Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History.
Alen Hamza:
Alen Hamza immigrated to the United States from Bosnia-Herzegovina as a refugee at the age of fifteen. He is the author of Twice There Was a Country, chosen by Brenda Hillman as the winner of the CSU Poetry Center First Book Award. His poems have appeared widely in literary journals, including AGNI, The Southern Review, Waxwing, Fence, and The Missouri Review. He has an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Utah. He has received fellowships from the Michener Center for Writers, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and the University of Utah. Hamza lives in Kalamazoo, where he is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Western Michigan University.

In Our Own Words, Gateway Youth Poetry Reading
2026-04-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Richland Community Library, 8951 Park St, Richland, MI, 49083, United States
Join us for an evening celebrating the poetry of young folks!
Hosted by the Richland Community Library, emcee Elizabeth Kerlikowske!

Ekphrastic Art Show at the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center
2026-07-10 17:00 - 20:00 | Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, United States
View art based on Kalamazoo Poetry Festival’s 2026 theme Beyond Resilience.” This art inspired the 2026 Community Poem, written by Friends of Poetry.
