The Hour: Poetry Open Mic — Created and hosted by poet María Fernanda

The Hour is a one-hour poetry open mic created and hosted by DC poet María Fernanda. The series welcomes work at every stage, from first attempts and early drafts to finalized or previously published pieces that have continued to evolve. Participants may share poems, songs, raps, monologues, positive affirmations, spoken word, blues, performance, hip-hop, and other creative forms rooted in personal experience and conversation.

Readers should sign up on-site, and each participant will have approximately three minutes so that as many people as possible can take part. María Fernanda’s work engages with sisterhood, intergenerational relationships, and grief. She is the recipient of the Norma Elia Cantú Award in Creative Writing and founded A Poetry Garden, a space where Black poets and gardeners explore their creative and historical relationships with gardens.

When: Thursday, October 1, 2026

Showtime: 7:00 p.m.

Run time: One hour

Venue: Politics and Prose at Union Market, 1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

Tickets: Free

Seating: First come, first served

Participation: Sign up on-site to read. Each reader will have approximately three minutes.

Host: María Fernanda, a DC poet and founder of A Poetry Garden

Eligible work: Poems, songs, raps, monologues, positive affirmations, spoken-word pieces, performance or theatrical work, hip-hop, and other literary or creative material at any stage, including drafts and published work

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The organizers will try to accommodate requests made up to the event time.