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

The Hour: Poetry Open Mic is a recurring event created and hosted by award-winning poet María Fernanda, held at Politics and Prose at Union Market. Inspired by themes of growth and new beginnings, the open mic invites participants to share work in any poetic form—spoken word, blues, performance, hip-hop, monologue, or positive affirmations. The event is grounded in the belief that poetry exists in many shapes, and welcomes work at any stage, from rough drafts to published pieces. Each reader receives approximately three minutes, and sign-up happens on-site. The evening lasts one hour and is free to attend.

When: Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 7:00pm.

Tickets: Free admission with first come, first served seating; no advance ticket required.

Run time: One hour.

Lineup: Hosted by poet María Fernanda (she/hers), who is a DC-based poet whose work appears in *The Healing Verse Poetry Line*, Cave Canem’s *Dogbytes*, and Cheryl Clarke’s *born in a bed of good lessons: poems inspired by the works of Lucille Clifton*, among others. She is also the founder of a poetry garden, where Black poets and gardeners explore creative and historic connections to gardens.

Venue: Politics and Prose at Union Market, 1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 (located inside Union Market).

Note: To request accommodations or inquire about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com ideally one week before the event; the venue will make an effort to accommodate all requests up until the time of the event.