Ebo Barton

Ebo Barton comes from salt— from the moment before worlds converge. In this world, we are still trying to articulate that mixed Black and Filipino, Transgender and Non-Binary, Queer, Artists and Educators not only matter but are precious. In another world, Barton is loved, safe, and valued. The only difference being that the latter is a path they must make themselves.

You may have seen Ebo's work in Natasha Marin's Black Imagination and heard in the audiobook read by Grammy and Tony award winner, Daveed Diggs. You have also seen Ebo's work online on Write About Now, Button Poetry, and All Def Poetry channels. In 2016, they placed 5th in the World at Individual World Poetry Slam. In 2017, they co-wrote and co-produced the award-winning play, "Rising Up". In 2018, they played "Invisible One" in Anastacia Renee's "Queer. Mama. Crossroads" and reprised the role in 2019. Ebo debuted his first published collection of poetry, Insubordinate in 2020. In 2021, Insubordinate was named a Washington State Book Award Finalist in the Poetry Category and Black Imagination was named a Washington State Award Finalist in the Creative Non-Fiction Category.

A leader in arts and activism, Ebo Barton is committed to creating opportunities for others to organize, heal and rejoice. From curated shows like Alchemy Poetry with Ben Yisrael to educating across the country at various institutions, 2020 Jack Straw Writing Fellow, Ebo Barton's written, performative, and community work demand societal reckoning. 

Dante King

Dante King is a native of San Francisco, California. He is the author of the new book The 400-Year Holocaust: White America's Legal, Psychopathic, and Sociopathic Black Genocide and the Revolt Against Critical Race Theory. Dante is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medical Education, in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He serves as guest faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine (UCSF), where he has lectured for three years. Dante officially consults as a legal expert scholar and witness on matters concerning race and racism. Dante was recently instrumental in codifying new law in California (see People v. Finley, 2023).

Dante has guest lectured at Clark College (Vancouver, Washington), Bellevue College (Bellevue, Washington), and Skyline College (San Bruno, California). His academic disciplines include Afro-Realism, Critical Race Studies, including Anti-Blackness and Whiteness Studies; American History; African American Studies; African American History; and the ways that they have shaped American culture and institutions. Dante’s continued research interests include examinations of race, racism, and legality throughout colonial and post-colonial America, and their impacts on American culture and identity.

Dante is a historian, scholar, public motivational speaker, thought-leader, facilitator, and coach. He has worked and consulted for more than 15-years as a human resource management professional specializing in the implementation of anti-racist practice, and organizational development and change.

Yosimer Reyes

Yosimar Reyes is a nationally-acclaimed Poet and Public Speaker. Born in Guerrero, Mexico, and raised in Eastside San Jose, Reyes explores the themes of migration and sexuality in his work. The Advocate named Reyes one of "13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World" and Remezcla included Reyes on their list of "10 Up And Coming Latinx Poets You Need To Know."

His first collection of poetry, For Colored Boys Who Speak Softly… was self-published after a collaboration with the legendary Carlos Santana. His work has also been published in various online journals and books including Mariposas: An Anthology of Queer Modern Latino Poetry (Floricanto Press), Queer in Aztlán: Chicano Male Recollections of Consciousness and Coming Out (Cognella Press), and the forthcoming Joto: An Anthology of Queer Xicano & Chicano Poetry (Kórima Press). Reyes was featured in the Documentary, "2nd Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry."

He is a LAMBDA Literary Fellow as well as the recipient of the Undocupoets Fellowship. Reyes previously served as Artist-in-Residence at the media and culture organization, Define American.

Reyes has toured and presented at university campuses across the United States. He is currently working on his one-man show, "Prieto," to premiere in the near future. Reyes holds a B.A in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.