Poetry can express volumes of our lives with an economy of words. Annette Hope Billings is an African-American Kansas poet, playwright, actress and nurse, who now offers by sharing her poetry and prose. She has written two collections of poetry, one-act plays and numerous short stories. Her book of poems, A Net Full of Hope, garnered the Topeka, Kansas, 2015 ARTSConnect Arty Award for Literature. Annette’s readers have dubbed her "the Maya of the Midwest," a moniker she allows with all due humility and gratitude. Known for her performance delivery style, she has been received enthusiastically in many diverse venues. Her newly-released book, Descants for a Daughter, is a collection of affirmations/meditations and very timely.
Elaine McMilian is a vocalist and writer from Independence, Missouri. She sang her first solo at age 5 and continues to perform a variety of musical genres as a solo artist and in various groups. She self-produced two albums of original songs, Insomnia and The Messenger. McMilian received a BA in English-Creative Writing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She writes essays and poems, which can be found on her blog, Along the Way, and is working on a memoir.
Music by The Ukulele Fight Club.