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Red Emma’s

Unique Robinson presents "(Not) In Service"

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Tuesday, May 7th 2024

7:00 pm

Free School Classroom

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(NOT) IN SERVICE is a chronicle of poetry written from 2017-2022, during a transitional period of Unique’s life in her late 20s-early 30s. Many of the poems were written while Unique was “in transit” on Baltimore’s public transportation, which she counted on for her entire life up until 2022 (when she officially became a motorist).

Baltimore’s transit system, known locally as the MTA (Maryland Transit Administration), is a steady, yet often unpredictable system of buses, subway trains, and light rails, which close to 2 million commuters relied upon in 2022 alone.

The title of the zine, (NOT) IN SERVICE, is derived from the MTA bus marquee in Unique’s youth, which frequently frustrated commuters who stood for lengthy time frames. This project is meant to portray an unflinching, eyewitness account of the city Unique calls home, and a vulnerable disclosure of her emotional spectrum in this transitory period. Moreover, the collection speaks to Unique’s artistic mission to shift the international narrative of Baltimore City, focusing on glimpses of moments often overshadowed by tales of violence and destruction.

Unique Mical Robinson is a poet, MC, award-winning educator, and proud Baltimore City native. She received her MFA in English/Creative Writing from Mills College, and a BA in Creative Writing/Black Studies from Hampshire College. She has performed for over 20 years throughout the US and Havana, Cuba (primarily, Western Massachusetts, New York City, and Oakland, CA), and has a background in Community Organizing and national Reproductive Justice work. Robinson is a lifelong activist, consistently working within communities to promote change through creativity. Upon returning home in 2015, Unique began working as a Teaching Artist and administrator with various Baltimore nonprofits. In 2016, Unique became Faculty in MICA's Humanistic Studies Department, and is now the Director of MICA’s MFA in Community Arts Program. She has released a variety of books, zines, short films, and musical projects, which are available on all streaming platforms, most notably her latest collection of poetry, (NOT) IN SERVICE (2023), and her debut book, FOUR WINGS & A PRAYER (2019). To access these projects, please visit https://linktr.ee/uniquetheword, or find Unique on Instagram at @unique.theword.

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