Send us a text

This episode features our conversation with Brother’s Keeper Poetry Theater Ensemble, which was live-streamed on April 12, 2025.

Since 2013, Brother’s Keeper Poetry Theater Ensemble has been a beacon of hope and transformation, weaving together words, emotions, and stories to create powerful theatrical performances that resonate deeply with their audiences. The group blends elements of poetry, spoken word, theatre and music to create a unique performance which is not only entertaining and educational, but also soulful.

Passionate about fostering diversity and social change, Brother's Keeper has taken their craft into diverse spaces, performing at city halls, job corps programs, corporate offices seeking to enhance their DEI initiatives, and young adult substance abuse centers. With every stage they grace, they aim to spark dialogue, challenge perceptions, and encourage healing through the transformative power of art. Brother's Keeper has received citations of merit from the City Hall in the cities of: East Providence, Providence and Pawtucket Rhode Island.

Check out their newly released spoken word album, Father Figures, now available on Apple Music/iTunes, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

This episode of Black Writers Read is presented in collaboration with the Florence Poetry Carnival.

Find Brother’s Keeper on Instagram: @brotherskeeperpoetry

Find Florence Poetry Carnival on Instagram: @florence_poetry_carnival

Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode features our conversation with Nzima Hutchings (poetry. prose.), the 2023-2025 Poet Laureate for Enfield, Connecticut, which was livestreamed on April 7, 2025 to kick-off National Poetry Month.

An award-winning author, editor, educator, and workshop facilitator, Nzima Hutchings has worked with various organizations including Trinity Health of New England, Saint Francis Hospital Family Advocacy Center, Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Asnuntuck Community College, Long Wharf Theatre, Nuyorican Poets Café, Our Piece of the Pie, Massachusetts Women of Color, and Mount Holyoke College. Nzima serves on several boards of directors including for the Enfield Cultural Art Commissions, Ujima African American, and A Queen’s Narrative. She is the curator and host of Nzima's Poetry Café Show. show on Cox Public Access Studios which airs in Connecticut and Longmeadow, Massachusetts. She is also a co-founder off Hartford's L.I.T. with T'challa Williams who was interviewed on the podcast back in February of 2025. Nzima is a contributor to Heavy is the Crown, an anthology published by A Queen's Narrative - I served as the editor and Nzima read an excerpt of her poem during the bonus episode announcing the book.

To purchase books written by Nzima, visit her Amazon link here.

To listen to the bonus episode on the Heavy is the Crown anthology: Apple Podcasts; Spotify

Find Nzima on Instagram: @follownzima

FInd Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode features our conversation with contemporary romance author, Reese Ryan, which was live-streamed on March 23, 2025.

Award-winning author Reese Ryan writes sexy, emotional, “grown folks” romantic fiction. Her characters find love while navigating career crises and family drama. The two-time recipient of the Donna Hill Breakout Author Award is an advocate for the romance genre and diversity in fiction. Reese’s books have been featured on Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, and BookRiot.

Our chat centered around The Love & Music Suite which includes Spin the Block, Never the Right Time, and More Than Friends. The fourth book of the series, When It Comes to You, is due for release this summer on June 20.

The Love & Music Series follows the music industry celebrity alumni of Peachtree School of the Arts in Atlanta as they reconnect to save their old school. Friendships are formed and love connections are re-ignited as they navigate the industry and take their careers to new heights.

To learn more about Reese and her work, please visit reeseryan.com.

During our conversation, we also talked about the Black Romance Book Fest. Learn more about this event by visiting https://blackromancebookfest.com/.

Find Reese on Instagram: @reeseryanwrites

Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support the show