With her diverse ancestry, Storme Webber brings a unique perspective to the literary world. Her writing allows her to give voice to those who are marginalized due to poverty, race, and sexual orientation. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Storme enlivens her readings with sonorous vocals, deepening the impact of her words.

Music by Dan Blunck and Mike Bisio, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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For his Jack Straw residency, Kevin Simmonds brings to life historic figures in his lilting and revealing poetry. His background as a musician and his roots in New Orleans, lend a rhythmic, melancholic sensibility to his work. Among the themes he touches on are rights issues, loss, and sexuality.

Music  by The Black Cat Orchestra, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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Madeline Ostrander works global politics into a flowing narrative that hinges on personal stories. Her experiences abroad fill her writing with distinct, tangible scenes with genuine characters. Readers and listeners are forced to contemplate war and responsibility.

Music by Amy Rubin and Dawn Clement, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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In her rhythmic storytelling, Angela Martinez Dy sketches a snapshot of the social and cultural fabric of her time. Her art, which starts with poetry on the page, becomes a gripping, powerful force in her delivery. She says her writing helps her express who she is and leads to deeper self-understanding.

Music by Bob Rees, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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Kim-An Lieberman‘s writing is a study on how the media shapes contemporary culture. She uses stories and characters featured in the media in her work. Through poetry, Lieberman is able to create unique, playful portraits of her subjects and continue a long tradition of storytelling.

Music by Matt Weiner and Del Rey, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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In her writing, Laura Hirschfield explores what’s not said, or what’s missing. She works with the concept of haunting; expressing in words an idea or a voice that inhabits her. Her examination of haunting is revelatory, personal, and poignant.

Music by the Bella Musica Woodwind Trio, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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In her writing, poet Rachel Dilworth seeks to illuminate new perspectives and understanding through the exploration of voice. Her focus on voice as connected to self, loss of voice, and regaining voice, allows her subjects to be heard in new ways.

Permission to use portions of The Wild Rose Asylum by Rachel Dilworth has been granted by the University of Akron Press. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

Music by Sean Osborn, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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Years of living and traveling in Europe and a profound interest in the visual arts, inform Michael Magee’s work. His writing, which crosses many disciplines, is full of wit, color, and panache. His dynamic range of subjects and artful turn of phrase are both fresh and entertaining.

Music by Matt Weiner and Del Rey, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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In her far-reaching poem Rhapsody in Red, Priscilla Long weaves cultural, political, and scientific threads together in a lyrical statement featuring the color red. Full of historic references and bright imagery, Long’s writing draws the reader through memory and experience.

Music by Amy Rubin and Dawn Clement, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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In her second Jack Straw Writers Residency, Anna Balint explores themes of war, motherhood, ethnic identity, and family legacy. She draws upon her diverse experiences, as an activist, mother and grandmother, in her writing.

Music by Christopher Roberts, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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