We begin with a wonderful set of open mic performers before jumping into our headliners— first is Charles Jensen (he/him) is the author of the poetry collection Nanopedia and six chapbooks of poems. His third collection, Instructions Between Takeoff and Landing, was published by the University of Akron Press in 2022. He hosts The Write Process, a podcast in which one writer tells the story of crafting one work from concept to completion. He lives in Los Angeles and directs the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension. Then, Ryan L. Gosling , a multi-hyphenate theater artist, poet, and model based in West Palm Beach Florida, with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and African- American Studies, he attributes his competitive background in forensics, or speech and debate, as well as his deep dive into the Pan-African experience as the catalyst for his literary achievements. Ryan’s Debut project BlackBoy Magic is a short collection of poetry divulging the experiences and perspectives of a Black, Fem, Gay, Christian coming of age. Following the author's mental and spiritual journey using the written language to reckon with the intersections of two marginalizing identities, Black and Queer.