Red Emma’s

Let's come together in a poetry/spoken word open mic of justice, conscious thought, spirituality, fam, real life—whatever advances the village! In the tradition of Emma Goldman’s Mother Earth magazine, come drop some rad “fiyah” on us, or contribute just with your presence and energy! By the way: it’s a non-erotic poetry, non-“Love Jones” type of evening, so we ask that you not go there. (And, almost needless to say, leave the misogyny, homophobia and other unnecessary ish outside!)

For the poetic power this evening, we need not look past MIDNIGHT!  Award winning American Artist Tarishi “MIDNIGHT” Shuler altered the status quo of the spoken word art scene by presenting an ingenious style of delivery using clever metaphors and a dance between two dimensional storylines.  Resonating with audiences nationwide, by 2011 Tarishi had begun dominating stages with his dramatic performances, taking home numerous awards year after year and raising the bar for his counterparts. Often abrupt, always gracefully delivered yet playfully unfiltered, his poetry hangs in an intrinsic balance of raw truth and art imitating life. ​ Among his many accolades, MIDNIGHT has opened for or shared stages with notable individuals such as Saul Williams, Grammy nominated Neo-Soul Artist Dwele, Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets, Def Jam Comedian Talent, Omari Hardwick, and more.  He is a champion of the 2025 Southern Fried Poetry Slam and the 2026 Chicharra Poetry Festival, competing with the Connecticut-based team, Verbal Slap.  He was the special guest host at the Legendary “Poet’s Passage” Poetry Open Mic in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is the former Artistic Director for The Word, a nonprofit organization located in New Haven.

A native of Connecticut, you can find Tarishi modeling, acting, body building, teaching or directing while also discovering new audiences in stages close to home, and as far as Tokyo, Japan. https://www.barsanddiscipline.com/

Holdin’ it down for the evening is Analysis—poet/spoken word artist, author, rad minister and bookseller, educator, justice & human rights person… Y’all know what’s up! https://www.liberationandpoetry.com  CashApp to support the artists: $AnalysisThePoet

The mic list will be ready for you at Emma’s so you can get on the mic and share something with us! Additionally, we will pass the bucket—physically and electronically—to give something to our featured poet and to help build for the future. Please support independent artists!

The evening is brought to you by Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse, a worker-owned and collectively operated restaurant, bookstore, and community events space in the Waverly neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland that is dedicated to putting principles of solidarity and sustainability into practice in a democratic workplace!

Remember: PEACE, JUSTICE, POETRY!  Will we see you there?