Lyrical Sanctuary

Los Angeles native Jamai Fisher is a poet and filmmaker dedicated to making difficult conversations easier through storytelling. Touring with Sofar Sounds, she published her first poetry book, “I definitely thought this was called a chatbook: A book of poems and the stories that inspired them.” Jamai passionately integrates filmmaking, poetry, and the Black experience into her work, focusing on personifying emotions to create impactful poetry.

El Sebas is a storyteller, artist, and musician whose work bridges his Mexican culture with hip hop, using music as a conduit to connect worlds. He writes through a journalistic lens that affirms both his realities and those of his community, drawing attention to social issues while spreading joy with his bilingual raps and Latin American-infused sounds. His latest release explores cumbia, blending it with his unique style to create thought-provoking content over infectious rhythms. Join his writing workshop to explore how music enhances storytelling and creative expression through interactive activities suitable for all skill levels.

Abdirahman Warsame, a second-generation Somali immigrant, co-founded and leads Generation Hope, a youth-centric recovery organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dedicated to ending the stigma of addiction and mental health within the East-African community. His personal struggles with addiction and the challenges of navigating a dual identity highlighted the lack of culturally appropriate resources for substance use disorder (SUD) services. In response, Abdirahman and his peers created Generation Hope, connecting hundreds to SUD and mental health resources and fostering a supportive, transformative environment. Their innovative work has garnered international recognition from ambassadors, congresspeople, and community leaders.

Jasmine Sims is a Milwaukee, Wi native.  She is a lover of words and the power of stories. She started writing as a child and her gift was noticed and nurtured through her family and teachers. She is most known for her ability to freestyle poetry. She published her first poetry book “Done Being Strong” in 2021 and she joined the Poets in Autumn Tour in 2022. She was a part of the Essence Holiday Special 2023. It is her hope to use her gifts and writing to share her faith and encourage others to live authentic lives.