FEBRUARY 19, 2026 | POETRY IN MOTION: “UNAPOLOGETIC D9 AND HBCU VOICES” @ The High Low Listening Room
Poetry In Motion: St. Louis Poets Take The Mic, is an SBLF initiative focused on utilizing art amid social and political turmoil to foster unity, strengthen resilience, offer peaceful and accessible methods for processing collective trauma, amplify marginalized voices, and promote conversation.
SBLF is launching its first ongoing event entitled “UNAPOLOGETIC D9 AND HBCU VOICES.” Hosted by Dr. Jason Vasser-Elong, this event, which aims to honor and celebrate the Divine Nine (D9) African American fraternities and sororities, as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), will showcase poets, writers, visual artists, musicians, and scholars, recognizing their important roles in public service, community empowerment, and academic excellence.
SEPTEMBER 12-14, 2025 | POETRY IN MOTION: ST. LOUIS POETS TAKE THE MIC LIVE | 2025 MUSIC AT THE INTERSECTION (MATI)
MAY 28, 2025 @ 2:00 PM | POETRY IN MOTION: ST. LOUIS POETS TAKE THE MIC | Documentary premiere on Nine PBS
CHECK OUT THE TRAILER
APRIL 24, 2025 | THE ART OF CONVERSATION Featuring Tara Betts | Pulitzer Arts Foundation
THE ART OF CONVERSATION is a new series hosted by Lyah Beth LeFlore-Ituen, a New York Times Bestselling author, producer, director, and Executive Director of SBLF. LeFlore-Ituen engages in discussions by leading figures in literature, theater, dance, and music in front of a live audience. Special guest is acclaimed poet, professor, and former National Poetry Slam winner, Tara Betts, providing an unforgettable evening of poetry, conversation, and celebration. The event was both inspiring and uplifting, embodying the essence of what the late St. Louis Poet Laureate Emeritus, Shirley Bradley Price LeFlore, stood for during her lifetime.
