DCAC's Poetry Series 2025

Sunday, October 26, 2025 @ 3:00pm

Step into an afternoon where poetry meets the speculative! We begin with an analytical presentation by Keith D. Leonard, who will explore how Afrofuturism and performance poetics challenge our understanding of Black identity, imagining Black life itself as a living form of science fiction. Through the work of the Black Took Collective and poet Duriel Harris, we’ll consider how dissonance becomes not discord, but possibility—a space where new forms of being and language emerge.

Next, we’ll enjoy two poetic readings by Sylvia Jones and Chet’la Sebree, whose acclaimed works explore identity, intimacy, and imagination. Their readings invite us to consider how language itself can envision new worlds and ways of being.

As always, we invite you to join us for a happy hour at Roofer's Union following the event!

About This Series

The DC Arts Center’s Poetry Series launched in 2025 to present poetry in conversation with criticism, scholarship, and philosophy. Building on the legacy of earlier programs like the In Your Ear Series, this new initiative continues DCAC’s decades-long commitment to the literary arts by providing a platform for rigorous, boundary-pushing work. More than a reading series, it’s a space for ideas—for language that challenges, interrogates, and connects. In an era where poetry often lives in isolation, this series brings it back into dialogue and shared community.

The series is held monthly in DCAC’s black box theater, typically on a Sunday. Each hour-long event features two to three creative presentations and one critical/analytical presentation (philosophy, scholarship, history, or criticism). These readings and reflections bridge creative and critical practice and are followed by a happy hour at Roofers Union. Whether you're a longtime reader, creator, or simply poetry-curious, The DC Arts Center’s Poetry Series offers a thoughtful, welcoming entry point into the ongoing work of thinking through language together.

Find out more at https://www.dcartscenter.org/poetry