We celebrated the newly elected members of Congress on January 4, with special guest moderators, Medea Benjamin (CODEPINK) and Raed Jarrar (Iraqi-American Peace and Human Rights Activist). The audience raised domestic and international issues they wanted to discuss with members of Congress who may have attended.

Many members of congress were still in session, but Rep. David Cicilline and a staff member of Rep. Ro Khanna were able to join us in discussion with our moderators and audience. We were also joined by spoken word artist Dior Ashley Brown, and Bob Bland and Kristin Mink of the Women’s March. The discussion brought challenging questions, different perspectives and new outlooks. Below are some photos of the celebration that night. You can also catch our Facebook Live recap here.

Audience asked questions and raised points for discussion at the Busboys and Poets New House Celebration event
Audience asked moderators and guests about domestic policy and social issues
Representative David Cicilline for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district joined Busboys and Poets for a New House Celebration at its 14th & V location.
Rep. David Cicilline joined us to celebrate the new Congress. He represents Rhode Island’s 1st district and was the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.
Dior Ashley Brown performs a piece at Busboys and Poets New House Celebration event.
Spoken word artist, Dior Ashley Brown
The Making of Busboys and Poets

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

We’re proud to announce A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, the new memoir from our CEO and Founder, which reveals the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind opening Busboys and Poets. Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, Andy Shallal’s memoir takes us on a “How I Built … Continued

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For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals.  He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.”  … Continued

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Palestine Week 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

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Split This Rock Poem of the Week: Patrick Rosal

Split this Rock is a longtime poetry partner of Busboys and Poets. Check out the Sunday Kind of Love monthly poetry series at Busboys and Poets every third Sunday of the month from 5-7PM.   Typhoon Poem The teacher can’t hear the children over all this monsoon racket, all the zillion spoons whacking the rusty … Continued

Busboys and Poets Books Review: Before the Next Bomb Drops

Busboys and Poets Books Review: Before the Next Bomb Drops

In his second poetry collection, Remi Kanazi takes the reader on a journey of violence and collective ignorance from Palestine to Ferguson to Iraq to Brooklyn. His unapologetically angry, graphic depictions of violence and fierce indictment of the ignorant among us who claim “the world is a messed-up place” but do nothing to stop it … Continued

Fusterlandia

8. Fusterlandia

Reflections from the Busboys and Poets Travel Tribe’s Cultural Exchange trip to Cuba (July 6-13, 2022) By Andy Shallal (@andyshallal CEO/Founder, Busboys and Poets) Jose Fuster aka the Picasso/Gaudi of Havana is a bundle of energy. At 70 something he is charming. Engaging. Full of life. And a brilliant artist and entrepreneur. He is the founder … Continued