Baltimore Book Festival! We’re back this year with some new faces for the Kickoff Event Poetry Open Mic and Panel!
This year, I am joined by @saysomethingpoet , @poet_km , @retro_tr , @edwardgillespie04 , @synaiathewriter , & @the.trans.panic will be our MC for the evening!
We’ll be reading pieces of our own, with a panel discussion after the readings, then we’ll open the floor to those who would like to sign up for the open mic portion of the evening.
Special thanks to Red Emma’s Books, City Lit Project, and Peabody Heights Brewery for hosting us!
Hillary Gonzalez (they/she) is a Baltimore based queer, disabled, and AuDHD poet, activist, birder and wildlife photographer. They are the Vice President of the Baltimore City nonprofit, Sacred Parks and Waterways–an organization dedicated to preserving Baltimore City's parks and watershed for future generations, and the authors of Seasons (2025), and the ecopoetry collections, Wild Unfelt World (Gnashing Teeth Publishing, April 2026), and Where the Osprey Nest (Palewell Press, August 2026). They have been nominated for Baltimore Magazine's Reader's Choice Best Poet of Baltimore (2026). Their poems have been published in numerous publications, including South Broadway Press, Canid Press, RAGE Zine, and in anthologies by Bi+ Book Gang, Yellow Arrow Publishing, Loblolly Press’ anthology: Understory vol. 1, a fundraising anthology for the victims of Hurricane Helene, The Body Archive by Cosmic Daffodil Journal, In Praise of Despair, an anthology for disabled artists and writers by Beyond the Veil Press, and their visual poem, "The Sound of Spring," was accepted by The Maryland Film Festival (2026), in their Vertical Shorts category.
E. Doyle-Gillespie
E. Doyle-Gillespie is a Baltimore City poet and writer. He holds a BA in History from George Washington University, and a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University. His poems are drawn from his world travel, and his work in education, and law enforcement. He served as a Baltimore City police officer for 19 years, working in patrol, operations, intelligence, and instruction. He currently teaches English at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women.
These poems represent his fascination with history and culture, and how those forces play roles in the most intimate parts of our lives. He gathers the raw material of the human condition as he travels the globe, reads, teaches, and learns. His books of poetry include Masala Tea and Oranges, On the Later Addition of Sancho Panza, Socorro Prophecy, Gentrifying the Plague House, Aerial Act, and Father of the Red Grotto Used Bookstore. His most recent title is The Slow Lament of Dying Ice.
He lives in Baltimore, with his wife, a wee bairn, and one rather rotund guinea pig. In his free time he enjoys reading, martial arts, a hearty primal workout, and a proper cup of green tea.
Retro
Jason Jackson commonly known as Retro is a Baltimore Native. His poetry is considered both raw and prolific. He uses poetry to both examine and interrogate unique challenges and complexities that young Black men face in the inner city. He was ranked top five of Baltimore’s grand slam in 2024. He has been featured at open mics around the region, and competed in slams throughout the united states. In March of 2025 Nevermore slam a Baltimore slam team he was a part of placed 3rd in Chicharra regional slam in New Mexico
Katia
Katia Matychak is a Ukrainian and Pennsylvanian poet who now lives in Baltimore. She has been writing poetry for over ten years, while earning her Bachelor and Master of Science in the meantime. Because Katia has a love for both poetry and science, her work is often the result of the combination of the two. She is the author of four poetry collections, her latest being Poems about Death and Transformation. Her work has also been featured in many literary magazines, including Overgrowth Press, reference mollusk, and Pennsylvania Bards. Her Instagram is @poet_km
Kenneth Something
Kenneth Something is a spoken word artist, playwright, organizer and educator. However, he is best described as an “artivist”. Kenneth is a 5x national poetry slam champion. On and off the stage he works at the intersection of art and social Justice. Kenneth Something is the former executive director The Pride Center of Maryland and DewMore Baltimore. He currently serves as the Director of Programming for the Black Arts District and the founder and producer of the most talked about poetry slam series in the country “Charm City Slam.”
Sinai DeVaughn
Synaia is a poet, author, and creative storyteller who is passionate about using words to inspire, encourage, and connect with others. She is the author of the poetry collection Growing Pains, a heartfelt exploration of life’s challenges and personal growth, as well as the children’s coloring book Always Write, which encourages creativity and self-expression. Through her writing, Synaia hopes to inspire readers of all ages to embrace their unique voice, find strength through life’s experiences, and never stop creating.