MATI: Write On – Poetry at the Confluence
How St. Louis and East St. Louis Changed American Arts and Culture Through Poetry
July 18 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This event will be held in-person at High Low. RSVP required.
Saint Louis Poetry Center is thrilled to co-present Shirley Bradley LeFlore Foundation’s Poetry in Motion panel for Music at the Intersection!
ABOUT THE PANEL & SPEAKERS
Write On: Poetry at the Confluence
How St. Louis and East St. Louis Changed American Arts and Culture Through Poetry
One River. Two Cities. Infinite Voices.
Presented during Music at the Intersection (MATI) weekend, this gathering brings together literary giants and cultural visionaries to explore how poetry has shaped the artistic, cultural, and social fabric of our bi-state region.
The conversation will trace the enduring connections between St. Louis and East St. Louis—from the legacy of the 1917 East St. Louis Race Massacre and the Civil Rights Movement, to the transformative influence of Katherine Dunham, the iconic Black Artists Group (BAG), and the artists carrying that legacy forward today.
Using the Mississippi River as both metaphor and meeting place, this unforgettable conversation celebrates poetry as a force for truth-telling, cultural memory, artistic innovation, and social change while honoring the enduring creative bond between our two cities.
Featured panelists:
- Dr. Eugene B. Redmond
- Terry “Kujaliwa” Kennedy
- Pacia Elaine Anderson
MODERATED BY: Dr. Jason Vasser-Elong
HOSTED BY: Lyah B. LeFlore-Ituen
RSVP INFO
Write On: Poetry at the Confluence is presented as part of the 2026 MATI Conference. MATI’s annual thought leadership conference provides free panels, keynote discussions and networking opportunities targeted at artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Attending the Conference is free but requires an RSVP.
A MATI Conference RSVP is required to attend this panel.
PRESENTED BY
