Danez Smith Kicks Off Columbia Writers Series
Clark's first Columbia Writers Series event of the 2025-26 academic year drew a full house
Pictured: Professor Alexis Nelson, student Paula Blower, poet Danez Smith, and Professor Dawn Knopf
On Nov. 13, Clark College hosted the first Columbia Writers Series event of the academic year. Made possible by the English Department, and with additional support from Clark Libraries and White Oak Books, the event was initially scheduled to take place in Gaiser Hall 213, but the event was in high enough demand and was moved to a larger room in Penguin Union Building. Even then, every seat in the room was filled to see the performance of special guest Danez Smith.
Danez Smith is a 36-year-old multihyphenate poet. Combining a unique style of slam poetry and spoken word poetry, their expressive and theatrical readings of their works made them an outstanding performer. Smith’s poetry has been nominated for several awards, including a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pulitzer Prize of 2025 for their collection, Bluff.
After a moving introduction by student Paula Blower, Danez opened their readings with their poem, “2025, Unfortunately”. In February of this year, Smith wrote this poem on the theme of “Now.” Its focal point is in its criticism of the current administration and, as Smith describes it, “The current manifestation of evil and idiocy in our federal government." In choosing this poem to begin their reading, Smith instantly defined the scope, subject matter, and intentionality of their works.
They continued their political theme, reading “My President”. Earlier this year, the social media trend of posting celebrities, “really good slice[s] of pizza,” or otherwise, and labeling it “my president,” caught on with Smith. This ironic phenomenon was used to avoid calling the current president “your president,” and Smith wrote this poem to express their appreciation for the trend as well as the many “presidents” in their life.
The poem that stood out most to the audience was "Summer, Somewhere” from their collection, Don’t Call Us Dead. In the poem, Smith describes an afterlife that is exclusive to black men and boys who were murdered by those whom Smith deems “avatars of white supremacy.” One excerpt in particular is told from the perspective of Emmett Till. After hearing from Smith about the circumstances and tragic lynching of the 14-year-old, the room was filled to the brim with emotion.
The last poem Danez Smith read switched gears from political commentary to a much more personal subject. They read their poem “Dede Was the Last Person I Came Out”, a rich and passionate poem that reflects on Smith's experience with their sexual identity and how it affected them socially and internally. Smith uses the subject of their barber, Dede, and the space of the barbershop itself to express the exposure of such vulnerabilities in a relatable environment. The poem is dedicated to ”the person who takes care of your hair.”
During the Q&A section of the panel, Smith engaged with their audience directly and personally. Questions popped up from all around the room, and Smith answered all of them. This included when they started writing poetry (at 14 years old, starting an open mic with their theater class), what inspires and motivates them (their love of language and using it to tell the formerly “unutterable” stories), and their views on artificial intelligence (very anti-AI).
Professor Lindsay Christopher’s African American Literature class was in attendance. The class was tasked to research the poet and experience the live reading of the poetry they studied and record three words they would use to describe their thoughts and feelings about the event. In an observed class discussion, the students called the performance "interesting, powerful, loquacious, inspiring, thought-provoking,” and much more.
Professor Christopher also added her input, sharing her reactions to the performance. She said, “There were some moments where I felt myself holding my breath for a minute… You can feel that collective something…that collective energy in the room.” Kalea Batausa, a student of Professor Christopher’s, summarized her feelings as well. After being pushed to tears by Danez’s reading of “Summer, Somewhere", she wrote, “Smith provides a fresh outlook on the art of poetry and political commentary. Their work and unique style of spoken word poetry is a great example of art charged with pure emotion and the messiness that arises as art interacts with the world. Smith had an amazing presence, and you were able to feel a shift in energy throughout the room. Their words brought joy, reflection, and enabled many to see new perspectives through witty lines and soulful stanzas.”
Attend an Upcoming Event in the Columbia Writers Series
Joe Sacco, February 5, 2026 - 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon) - PUB 258 B-C
Joe Sacco is the Eisner Award-winning author of Footnotes in Gaza, for which he received the Ridenhour Book Prize, as well as Paying the Land, Palestine, Journalism, Safe Area Goražde, and other books. His comics reporting has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, and Harper’s Magazine. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Emma Pattee, May 12, 2026 - 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. - PUB 258 B-C
Emma Pattee is a climate journalist and fiction writer. She has written about climate change for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and other publications. Her debut novel, Tilt, is a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice, a USA Today Bestseller, a Best Book of 2025 for Vogue, and an NPR favorite fiction read of 2025.
Camille Dungy, May 14, 2026 - 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. - PUB 258 B-C
Camille Dungy is the author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, winner of the 2024 Award of Excellence in Garden and Nature Writing and finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Award. She has also published award-winning poetry, edited Black Nature, and her work appears widely, including in The 1619 Project and The New Yorker. Dungy is a Guggenheim Fellow and University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University.
About the Columbia Writers Series
The Columbia Writers Series aims to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of Clark College by providing a platform for literature and the arts. Since 1988, the series brings a diverse array of local, national, and international authors to the campus and the community. Learn more about the Columbia Writers Series here.
Photos: Clark College/Josiah Cowley and Carly Rae Zent
Story by Josiah Cowley, Student, African American Literature Class