Join us at April 2025's Free Verse Virtual Workshop for BIPOC Creatives with angela abiodun!Published in 1987, Lucille Clifton wrote "they ask me to remember // but they want me to remember // their memories // and i keep on remembering // mine." Entitled "why some people be mad at me sometimes," Clifton implores her reader to find power in honoring your truth, your memories, your experiences in the face of unforeseen response. Through this workshop, we will explore memories and the moments we've experienced that has reaffirmed our power, helping us honor those difficult memories. We will discuss our relationships to deteriorating memories and ways we can find grounding in those losses and redactions. About the instructor: angela abiodun is a writer who loves hibiscus, mangosteen, and is presently obsessed with the daily routines of ladybugs. A recent graduate of Pratt Institute's MFA in Creative Writing, some of their present considerations manifest as a series of letters to the descendants of indigo dyers, particularly in the Black/African diaspora. Their chaplet Cobblestone Lined Walkways Expect Sprawling Grass Between Them (Belladonna* Collaborative, 2023) considers their body in relationship with society and the natural world.At The Poetry Society of New York, we believe that true creativity flourishes when all voices are heard, especially those that have been historically marginalized. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity isn't just a statement—it's woven into the fabric of everything we do. We aim to model this commitment for the entire arts industry, creating spaces where everyone, regardless of their background, feels seen, valued, and empowered.PSNY's Free Verse Workshops are a direct response to the social inequities that too often silence BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices. These free monthly workshops offer two distinct, identity-centered spaces: one for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and one for LGBTQ+ creatives. Here, participants can connect, create, and explore their unique identities through poetry, in environments designed specifically for them.We recognize that these spaces are not just about creativity—they're about justice. By centering BIPOC and LGBTQ+ experiences, we’re working to dismantle the barriers that have long kept these voices on the margins. Each workshop concludes with a resource-sharing session, where participants can exchange literature, community events, and grants, building networks that extend beyond the workshop.As part of our unwavering commitment to equity, all attendees receive a 50% discount for our Weekly Virtual Workshops—because access to the arts should never be a privilege but a right.If you do not identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ+, we warmly invite you to explore other PSNY events.