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Spoken Word with Maya Williams
Are you passionate about poetry and creative expression? Do you wonder how poetry intersects with various artistic disciplines and identities? Join us for a free, one-hour workshop on the art of spoken word poetry, led by Maya Williams, the seventh poet laureate of Portland, ME. This workshop is designed for teens aged 16 and up, as well as adults. It will introduce you to the art of spoken word and guide you through several exercises to get you started. If, after attending, you find yourself interested in further exploring this craft, we offer 10-week classes for kids, teens, and adults that delve deeper into the discipline.
Maya Williams (ey/they/she) is a religious Black multiracial nonbinary suicide survivor who was selected as Portland, ME's seventh poet laureate for a July 2021 to July 2024 term. Maya received a MFA in Creative Writing with a Focus in Poetry from Randolph College in June 2022. Eir debut poetry collection Judas & Suicide (Game Over Books, 2023) was selected as a finalist for a New England Book Award. Their second poetry collection, Refused a Second Date (Harbor Editions, 2023), was selected as a finalist for a Maine Literary Award. Their third poetry collection, What's So Wrong with a Pity Party Anyway?, was selected as one of four winners of Garden Party Collective's chapbook prize in 2024. Maya was one of three artists of color selected to represent Maine in The Kennedy Center's Arts Across America series in 2020, one of The Advocate's Champions of Pride in 2022, and one of Maine Humanities Council's recipients of the Constance Carlson Public Humanities Prize in 2024.
