marcus

ASL Open Mic Night hosted by Marcus J Smith


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 12, 2026
    9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

ASL (American Sign Language) OPEN MIC PRESENTS:On this night, American sign language users and viewers from all corners of life will come together to recite a poem, song, short skit or jokes. Come out and enjoy the wonderful environment while you eat, get your drink on and socialize. Great for those learning American sign language.Hosted (more…)

mal prac

Friday Night Open Mic hosted by Malachi Byrd


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 12, 2026
    9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

A Busboys and Poets Event hosted this week by MALACHI BYRDYou won’t get five minutes into a conversation with Malachi Byrd, without hearing about Washington, D.C. An author, teacher, songwriter, and arts advocate from the district, Malachi believes superpowers exist in creative writing. An African-American Studies graduate from Princeton University, MalPractice gets his name from (more…)

9th Hour Slam

9th Hour Poetry Slam hosted by Charity Blackwell


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 12, 2026
    9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

A Busboys and Poetry Event hosted this week by Charity BlackwellA poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 or one to (more…)

6.14.26 Columbia

Brown + Balanced + Beautiful Presents: Journal and Sip


  • Jun 14, 2026
    10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Pour it out. Let it go. We created this space just for you — an elevated journaling experience where you finally come first. Journal & Sip is an elevated, guided journaling experience for women of color — hosted by Brown + Balanced + Beautiful at Busboys and Poets. Come join the group chat! Sip, connect, (more…)

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Live Screening of “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment”


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 14, 2026
    7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Join us at Busboys and Poets 14th & V on June 14 for a special livestream watch party of Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment.   Featuring performances and appearances by Rufus Wainwright, Bette Midler, Patti Smith, Sasha Allen, Joy Reid, and Jane Fonda — with more to come! This community watch party is free (more…)

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RED CARD | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 15, 2026
    6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

The World Cup is here, but what function does a worldwide tournament play in an increasingly belligerent police state, with Donald Trump at the helm?Publishing on the eve of the soccer World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, this concise, power-packed philippic provides a critical take on the dark underbelly of the beautiful (more…)

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Monday Night Open Mic hosted by Angelique Palmer


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 15, 2026
    8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

A Busboys and Poetry Event hosted this week by Angelique PalmerAngelique Palmer is a poetry slam doyen, a finalist in the 2015 Women of the World Poetry Slam and a member of The Beltway Poetry Slam Team in 2017. The Creative Writing graduate from Florida State University now calls northern Virginia home. She’s penned more (more…)

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THE LADY IMAM | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 16, 2026
    6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Join us to learn about the most famous Islamic woman scholar working today, from the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist author Carla PowerThe soul-stirring intersectional biography of the most famous Islamic woman scholar working today, from the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist author of If the Oceans Were Ink and Home, Land, Security.”A testament to what it (more…)

Zachary Parker Election Night Watch Party

Zachary Parker Election Night Watch Party


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 16, 2026
    6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

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2026 06 14 Busboys JoyfulRevolution final

Joyful Revolution: Poverty, Social Justice, and the Story of Mary Rabagliati – An evening of story, reflection, and conversation


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 16, 2026
    6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Joyful Revolution: Poverty, Social Justice, and the Story of Mary RabagliatiAn evening of story, reflection, and conversation The event is grounded in the life of Mary Rabagliati, whose work emphasized long-term commitment alongside people in poverty, and a refusal to reduce people to problems to be solved. The book’s author, Diana Skelton, will be joined (more…)

drew

Tuesday Night Open Mic hosted by Drew Anderson


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 16, 2026
    8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

A Busboys and Poetry Event hosted this week by Drew AndersonA science teacher turned teaching artist, poet turned parodist, and marathon runner turned motivational speaker, Drew Anderson is founder and co-host of Spit Dat (the longest-running open mic in DC) and co-creator of the critically-acclaimed stage production From Gumbo to Mumbo (nominated for the 2020 (more…)

busboys poets June 17

Beyond the Mic Drop: Storytelling, Community, and Civic Imagination


  • Event Start
    Event Start
    Jun 17, 2026
    12:30 pm - 2:30 pm

RSVP HEREAs midterm elections get closer, we need a new narrative—one that’s generative instead of reactive and one that’s rooted in imagination instead of polarization.Join us for a special gathering to celebrate the launch of Melissa Jun Rowley’s new book “Beyond the Mic Drop: How Our Stories Shift Culture, Power, and Policy” and a community-based (more…)