SEASON 38 | February 2026
EVERY.WORD POETRY’S LINES FOR LIBERATION - A Black History Month Spoken Word Experience
February 26th – March 1st, 2026
every.Word Poetry invites the public to their Black History Month spoken word poetry experience, Lines for Liberation. Four poets are taken on a journey towards freedom, discovering what a future for Black lives looks like and how they might liberate themselves in order to be transported to a time co-crafted by these literary seers.
Lines for Liberation is an experience of curiosity, confidence, pride, and most of all warmth. The poets actively build the warmth and vibrancy needed to transform the space into an Afrofuturistic world and to bring an Afrofuturistic world to the current space. Through spoken word performance, the poets simultaneously blast through elements of vulnerability, comedy, music, theater, truth, and spirit. This show is the result of creativity being valued and honored within the Black experience.
We bring the audience to the future through the lens of black folks. It’s not a story, it's more like a collective dream and shared imagination of Liberation that persists through time. Though only four of us, we try to encapsulate and paint a picture of black life in space beyond what we can conceptualize and pinpoint our shared fears and hopes when thinking beyond the present. We be the past, present, AND the future. Always.
Dre’ Jackson, Jasmine Games, Michael Hatcher, and Ms. Trin-I-Tee star in this cosmic conception of Black liberation under the direction of Florinda Bryant and assistant direction of Aaliyah Jenkins. Come take a journey into a new world without boundaries, where poets manifest reality in real time and combine poetry, music, and other elements of the arts into a show about the endless possibilities of blackness.
ABOUT THE DIRECTORS
Florinda Bryant
Aaliyah Jenkins (she/her) is an Austin-based writer of poetry, prose, and at least one play. She holds a BA in Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin where some of her poems have been published. She’s been a student of theatre and staged performance nearly her whole life having held many roles across technical, performance, and directing capacities. With a deep interest in the human condition, her creative work centers, honesty, healing, and the power of being seen.
ABOUT THE POETS
Michael Hatcher (he/him) is a poet with over 13 years of experience in the slam scene and the Executive Director of The Poet House. He holds a BS in Sociology from The University of North Texas and a Global MA in Human Resource Management from Colorado State University. A decorated slam poet, Hatcher is a 4x Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Slam Champion, a Jubilee Theater Black History Slam Champion, and a 2024 Blackberry Peach National Poetry Slam finalist. His books include Things I Say in Crowded Rooms and above the canopy, with publications in Inverted Syntax Magazine, Flying Ketchup, and Word Space Dallas. Follow him @mikekpz_poetry.
Jasmine Games (she/her) is a Black queer spoken word poet and theater practitioner from Houston, TX. She holds a BA in English and Performance Studies from Texas A&M University and an MFA in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities from The University of Texas at Austin. An award-winning artist, she received the 2021 Sexton Prize for Poetry and the Winifred Ward Award for excellence in theatre education. She is a 2025 Austin Poet Laureate finalist, a 2025 Blackberry Peach National Poetry Slam finalist, and a 2025 Right2Write finalist. As Artistic Director of The Poet House, home to every.Word Poetry and Courageous Cadence, and Event Coordinator at The Carver Museum, she uses drama and creative writing to address social justice. Her debut poetry collection, Somebody’s Daughter, is available online. Follow her @jasminegamespoetry or visit jasmineigames.com.
Dre’ Jackson (he/him) is a poet originally from Central Florida and Warwick, Bermuda, now based in Austin, Texas. With degrees in Psychology and Education, he writes with a deep respect for human complexity, always tuned into both the mind and the moment. A writer first and performer second, Jackson turns feelings into something audiences can hear, feel, and maybe even heal from. His style is honest, curious, and intentional, tracing the contours of love, heartbreak, lust, and everything in between. His debut poetry collection, Side Mirror, is available on Amazon.
Ms. Trin-I-Tee
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS
every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House. The Poet House cultivates a care-centered community of spoken word poets by uplifting the marginalized and building spaces where art is a catalyst for change. thepoethouse.org
The VORTEX, one of Austin’s longest-running alternative performance venues, is a cultural anchor dedicated to inclusive and innovative art. Home to The Eloise Stage, a nationally certified butterfly garden, The Butterfly Bar, and Patrizi’s, The VORTEX supports diverse artists and communities through bold new works and collaborative partnerships.
Join us for a powerful evening of poetry, music, and the beauty of Black expression.