Lyrical Sanctuary Featuring Steven Espada Dawson Wednesday, September 9 | Workshop, Open Mic & Performance 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Creative Writing Workshop | Union 119 Embracing Change: On Trapdoors, Trojan Horses, and Quicksand In this generative workshop, we will explore how the trajectory of a …
Lyrical Sanctuary Featuring Alyssia Dominguez Wednesday, October 14 | Workshop, Open Mic and Performance 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Creative Writing Workshop | Union 119 Join singer/songwriter Alyssia Dominguez for an interactive discussion on songwriting, storytelling, and creativity. Alyssia will share the stories behind her songs, talk about …
Lyrical Sanctuary Featuring Lazarus Halliwell Wednesday, November 11 | Workshop, Open Mic and Performance 6-6:45 p.m. | Creative Writing Workshop | Union 119 Transgender Grief, Living in Exile, and A Sense of Foreshortened Future In honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, join poet and musician Lazarus Halliwell …
Lyrical Sanctuary Featuring Mad Static Wednesday, December 2 | Workshop, Open Mic and Performance 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Creative Writing Workshop | Union 119 Set Yourself Free We all have things in our life that tie us emotionally and spiritually, yet we often don’t know how, when or where to let loose …
Derrick Harriell is the Interim Director of the Black Student Cultural Center and Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His previous collections of poems include Stripper in Wonderland, Come Kingdom, Cotton, and Ropes, winner of the 2014 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Poetry Book Award. His short story, “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” was the recipient of the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award. He holds an MFA from Chicago State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His forthcoming coauthored book with celebrated rapper 2 Chainz, The Voice in My Head is God, will be published in March 2026.
*aya is a Palestinian singer/songwriter based in Milwaukee, creating a unique blend of indie and soul that resonates deeply with listeners. With a smooth, jazzy voice, *aya writes about universal themes like self-reflection, love, loss, mental health, and personal growth, making their music both intimate and relatable. Inspired by the artistry of Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Faye Webster, Amy Winehouse, and Outkast, they seamlessly weave together genres to create a sound that’s unmistakably their own.
Born & brewed in Wisconsin, Social Cig is the ‘Indie-Skate-Rock’ music project of Parker Schultz. Consisting of contagious authenticity, cheery live shows, and cultivating an original story with an attitude of gratitude, Social Cig is creating full-circle moments. While leafing through US music scenes with an ambitious DIY approach and writing songs that capture a genuine outlook from a modern-day Midwest cowboy, Social Cig has become a well-rounded grassroots venture.
Celebrate the final Lyrical Sanctuary of the semester with an evening dedicated to the incredible talent within our own UWM community! Join us as our amazing student poets take center stage, sharing their voices, stories, and artistry. Come be inspired, uplifted, and reminded of the power of creativity as we close out the year with this special showcase of campus brilliance.
Tasneem Jassar is a Palestinian writer and poet. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Creative Writing bachelor’s degree and a minor in Women and Gender studies. Jassar was also 2024 Woodland Pattern’s Milwaukee Emerging Poet fellow. She hopes that the words she writes and shares, inspire others and give them a deeper insight into themselves and the world they live in. Her poetry often includes themes of motherhood, sisterhood, and Palestinian storytelling.
Carmen Alicia Murguía is a proud U.S.-born poet and writer whose work explores love, Latinidad, politics, queer identity, and culture. She’s the author of six poetry collections and has been featured in academic journals, anthologies, and interviews on NPR, PBS, and other media outlets. Carmen began her poetry journey at The Loft Literary Center through the Inroads: Emerging Chicano/Latino Writer’s Mentorship Program and has since performed at festivals and venues across the country, including New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Antonio.
