Red Emma’s

Keep the poetry coming. Keep the poetry coming! PLEASE keep the poetry coming, for surely the need for us to speak the words of transformation are evident each day in these mind-boggling times. 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!)

Bringing the featured, necessary words to us on this evening will be Tony Keith, Jr.!

Anthony (Tony) Keith Jr., PhD. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and Hip-Hop educational leader from Washington DC. Or, you can just call him an “Ed Emcee.” He is author of the young adult memoir in verse How the Boogeyman Became a Poet (Feb. 6, 2024), and the forthcoming young adult poetry collection Knucklehead (Winter 2025), both from Katherine Tegen Books at HarpersCollins Publishers. Tony’s writings appear in the Journal of Negro Education, Equity & Excellence in Education, the Journal of Black Masculinity and many others. Some of his featured performances include John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington National Cathedral, the Historic Lincoln Theatre, and the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg South Africa. A multi-year fellow of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and HumanitiesDC, Tony is CEO of Ed Emcee Academy and lives with his husband, Harry Christian III, in his DC hometown. https://www.tonykeithjr.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: $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’ll 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, indeed, 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! http://redemmas.org https://www.facebook.com/redemmas Twitter & Instagram: @redemmas

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