Registering for the open mic is required!  Signing up to read is first come, first served. You can add yourself to the reader's queue upon registration (below). 

Please join California Poets in the Schools for a community open mic at 7pm, Sunday, December 13th.  The event is part of a quarterly series of open mic events meant to foster community amongst our network, and to highlight our fantastic poets.  Each event will spotlight one or two poets from the CalPoets' network as featured readers, and an emcee (also from the network). On the 13th, our featured readers will launch the event with a 15 minute reading (each) and then we'll then transition into an open mic.  

• teens 14+ & adults welcome
• register online & join link will be sent before the event
• event will occur on Zoom
• event will not be livestreamed
• there will be time for 20 open mic readers, give or take
• each reader will have 3(ish) minutes to read or perform
• reader slots are first come, first served... If you are interested in reading, please note in the registration form.
• thanks for bringing poems that are fit for all ages 14+

Emcee:

Fernando Salinas  is an Adjunct Professor of English at Ventura College. He is also the Ventura County Area Coordinator and a Master Poet-Teacher for California Poets in the Schools, a recitation coach for the California Arts Council’s Poetry Out Loud program and the Editor-In-Chief for Spit Shine Publishing.  In 2012, Salinas initiated the Groundswell Committee: a small collection of local poets, with the support of the Ventura County Arts Council, and created the County’s poet laureate program. Most recently, he has implemented a youth poet laureate program for the county. His written poetry has appeared in several publications, including Askew Poetry Journal, Solo Poetry Journal, Miramar, and Lummox Press. He has performed his spoken word internationally. This year, he has been nominated for California Poet Laureate and City of Ventura’s Mayor’s Arts Award.

Featured Readers: 

Darly Ngee Chinn is a poet, poet teacher, bookmaker, and editor. His book and book-related publications include Soft Parts of the Back (University of Central Florida, 1989); artist books; collaborative books; self-published chapbooks; and school and statewide poetry anthologies in Nevada and California. He published his first book of poems and color photographs in 1973 and has worked or volunteered for poetry teaching and related activities including fundraising, board membership, and mentoring. He was a founding member of the North Redwoods Book Arts Guild and served as Humboldt County Coordinator, as well as president of the board, for California Poets in the Schools.

Blake More A UCLA graduate and resident of California’s Mendocino Coast since the late 90s, Blake More is an artist with many creative voices and obsessions. Blurring the boundaries between disciplines, her work embraces visual art, poetry, video, performance, costume design, teaching, functional mixed media art/life pieces and hand-painted art cars. She is a CalPoets' Poet Teacher as well as CalPoets' Area Coordinator for Mendocino County. She also hosts an hour long public affairs program called Be More Now on KZYX&Z FM Mendocino.  Author of five books of poetry, a humor book, two non-fiction health books and hundreds of magazine articles, Blake is widely published and working on her latest book now. To explore more of Blake’s creative world and purchase copies of her past books, please visit bmoreyou.net