Celebrate July 4th with poetry, truth, and community as we reflect on freedom still being unfinished.
Hosted by: Black Chakra
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Time: 5:00–7:00 PM EST
Location: Busboys and Poets Shirlington
A July 4th poetry open mic honoring the promise, tension, and unfinished road to freedom.
Event Description:
This Fourth of July, Busboys and Poets Shirlington invites you to gather on the patio for Freedom Ain’t Finished: Poetry on the Patio, a special poetry open mic hosted by Black Chakra.
As fireworks go up and the country celebrates independence, we also know the road to freedom is still long. Inspired by the spirit of Langston Hughes’ “I, Too”, this open mic holds space for the joy, tension, truth, and contradiction of what it means to say: I, too, am America.
Rooted in the Busboys and Poets tradition of art, activism, and community, Freedom Ain’t Finished invites poets, storytellers, and truth-tellers to bring their voices to the mic.
This is a space for poems about freedom, protest, country, home, survival, joy, resistance, and the America we are still fighting to become.
Hosted by Black Chakra
Black Chakra is a revolutionary spoken word artist, hip-hop performer, and author whose voice resonates with the call for justice and change. As a National Poetry Slam Champion and fierce advocate for youth empowerment, Black Chakra’s performances embody resilience, resistance, and the enduring spirit of social activism.
Come be part of an evening where art meets action and poetry makes room for truth, reflection, and community.
Come celebrate. Come reflect. Come speak. Come listen.
Because freedom ain’t finished — and neither are we.
