The 39th Salina Spring Poetry Series, sponsored and organized by Salina Arts & Humanities, continues on Tuesday, April 25, with a reading by Sheri Purpose Hall.
The reading will begin at 7 pm at Ad Astra Books & Coffee House (135 N. Santa Fe Ave.). Admission will be $5 at the door and free for students with ID.
Huascar Medina, Kansas Poet Laureate Emeritus, curated this year’s series. Medina selected poets with a broad range of perspectives who will share their work in Salina this April.
“Poetry takes shape in many forms and modes of expression, and we must continue celebrating them all. Sheri Hall is a dynamic, award-winning spoken word artist out of Kansas City. I am elated that Sheri is participating in the poetry series. Her presence alone is worth an audience, and I cannot wait for her to wow the crowd in Salina, KS. It's on my calendar. I can always use more awe in my life,” says Medina.
Sheri Purpose Hall is an award-winning spoken word artist, author, radio personality, actress, educator, and minister who uses her work to provide perspective and engage conversational empathy. She has four books: a book of poetry, epistles, and essays titled Black Girl Shattered (2017); two poetry chapbooks Mélange du Femme Noir (2019) and Chosen for Both (2015); and a workbook/workshop Writing Wrongs: Writing to Heal (2016) which won an award from Bike for the Brain, a non-profit organization that works to reduce mental health stigma. She is the founder of Arsyn Spit Fire, East of Red ArtHouse, and PenFire Publishing; Executive Director of Poetry for Personal Power.