Announcing Finalists for the DC Poet Project

Thanks to poets Abdul Ali, Gregory Luce, Ethelbert Miller, Melanie Figg, Joseph Ross and Danielle Evennou for selecting the four finalists in the DC Poet Project from among tens of participants in the three open mic events — March 25, April 1, and April 8 — at the Anacostia Branch of the DC Public Library.

The selected finalists will feature read (20 minutes each) at the culminating reading series event — May 13, also at the Library — at the conclusion of which the audience will LIVE VOTE to select the winner of the DC Poet Project. Through our partnerships with the Library, Upshur Street Books, Brink Media, Day Eight will publish a book of poetry by the winning poet.

Get your free ticket to attend the poetry reading event May 13 here.

Michael Cameron (Ghostwritah) was born in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has been writing in his head for years, but only writing in a notebook for two months. He is a chef, currently obtaining a Commercial Drivers License. He loves artistic expression.

John Johnson is a native Washingtonian and holds a B.A in Theater form the University of the District of Columbia. Mr Johnson uses his background in theater to create a unique interactive experience when writing and performing poetry. Mr. Johnson has worked as a drama therapist with a partnership with the Districts Youth Services Center. His most recent contribution is to a radio project at American University WAMU 88.5 call “Anacostia Unmapped” which he captures the narratives of local residents in rapidly changing communities “East of the River” in Washington D.C. ‎

Rose Strode’s personal essays have appeared in The Gettysburg Review, The Little Patuxent Review, The Delmarva Review, and Viator. Her first published poem appeared last year in Poet Lore; more of her poetry will appear later this year in Sequestrum and Bourgeon. Rose is currently teaching a poetry class called “The Art of Gratitude”. When she is not writing or teaching she works in the Japanese Garden at Ekoji Buddhist Temple. Rose received the “Undiscovered Voices” fellowship from The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland in 2014 and a 2017 scholarship from the Key West Literary Society.

Susan Meehan is a New Englander transplanted to the District of Columbia in 1964. After the riots in DC that followed Rev. Martin Luther King’s death, she began to work on black-white relations, initially as an elected member, along with Marion Barry, of the Police Pilot District Project, then as a community activist, and later working in the Mayor’s office – including being the City’s first Patient Advocate for all DC residents seeking help with their substance abuse problems. For a number of years she worked with families of homicide victims. Poetry has always been in Susan’s writings, filled with emotion, diversity, intensity and whimsy. It reflects her searches for both her Irish and Jewish heritages, her Quaker views, her commitment to Washington, DC, and her relationships with some of DC’s best poets, including Sterling Brown, Gaston Neal and Nap Turner. Mayor Barry asked her to write and read one of her poems to over 3000 people at his third inaugural. At 78 she remains an enthusiast for DC statehood.