• Read more about Lydia Sylvia Martin

Lydia Sylvia Martin is a musician and writer from Central Maryland. She performed with her family, The Martin Family Band, for over 20 years and studied traditional old-time and Irish music. She has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Goucher College and currently performs and teaches banjo. 

• Read more about Laurielle

Ten years experience in spoken word performance / poetry reading

• Read more about Tavish

Tavish Forsyth (He/Them) is a queer improviser, educator, and word technologist. Tavish helps learners Decode the Script, create Improv Drama Clubs, and establish Writer's Rooms. He helps educators in supporting community-focused theatre. Tavish is based in Baltimore City, which is the ancestral land of the Piscataway people. He is the founder of Bird City Improv and a teaching artist with MSDE's Centers for Creative Classrooms. 

• Read more about Linette Marie Allen

Winner of the Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry, Linette Marie Allen holds an MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. Her work has been published in magazines and journals worldwide, including The Rialto, Prairie Schooner, and Márọkọ Magazine. Twice nominated for the Best of the Net Awards, her poetry has been arranged to music by composers at The Peabody Institute. She is a member of the Academy of American Poets.

• Read more about Aaron Maybin

Aaron Maybin is a 34 year old contemporary artist, educator, community activist, and former professional football player from Baltimore Md. selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills as a former All-American defensive end at Penn State University.  Aaron went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bengals in a 5-year career before making the decision to walk away from football to pursue a career as a professional artist, activist, author, educator, and community organizer.

• Read more about Edward Alexander Young III

Edward has been involved with artistic endeavors from an early age; in middle school, he created a comic book series which he released once or twice a month, as time permitted between his junior high studies. His work found instant success among peers, friends, and family members, all of who highly encouraged Young to continue drawing and writing as they eagerly anticipated the release of future issues.