(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) – April is National Poetry Month and the Shawna Foundation’s
Library Poetry Tour will present three Massachusetts poets at three library stops to salute the
spoken word.
First, a big announcement: we’ve added a third library to our Library Poetry Tour program.
Beginning in April, we’ll take the show to the Simon Fairfield Public Library in Douglas, MA,
rounding out our stops at the Milford Town Library and the Uxbridge Free Public Library. We
thank our cultural council partners for their financial support since 2023 when we launched the
Library Poetry Tour. We are grateful for the Milford Cultural Council
(https://www.milfordma.gov/309/Cultural-Council); the Uxbridge Cultural Council
(https://www.uxbridge-ma.gov/cultural-council; and the Massachusetts Cultural Council
(https://massculturalcouncil.org/) for joining us in believing that giving voice to poets can change
the world.
Library Poetry Tour Program Director Kathleen Stoker has curated a true celebration of National
Poetry Month beginning on Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Simon Fairfield Public Library
(https://mysfpl.org/), 290 Main St. in Douglas, MA with Nanayaa Dadzie, a 20-year-old poet from
Westborough currently studying at Quinsigamond Community College. She is a first generation
Ghanaian American and equal rights advocate. When Nanayaa was in high school, she led an
equal rights movement in Westborough, MA to implement a non-discrimination, no-tolerance
policy in the student handbook for Westborough High School.
The tour continues on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. at the Milford Town Library
(https://www.milfordtownlibrary.org/), 80 Spruce St. in Milford, MA with Michelle Garcia Fresco,
an Dominican poet, performer, and teaching artist based in Boston. Believing in the power of
poetry as a medium for social justice, Garcia`s writing is often inspired by the women in her
family, social and racial injustices in America, coping with loss and mental health, as well as her
Dominican roots. Her work has appeared in Wbur/The Artery, Tinderbox Poetry, the Rising
Phoenix. She is also the winner of Stirling Spoons “2020: Identity in America” contest.” Chosen
by Richard Blanco, former US Inaugural Poet and author.
The last stop is Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. at the Uxbridge Free Public Library
(https://www.uxbridgelibrary.org/), 19 N. Main St. in Uxbridge, MA with Justin Callender, a poet,
artist, music producer, and cook from New Bedford, MA. Among curating local open mic/poetry
events, networking, and releasing music, Jusin aims to be a staple in the local Hip-Hop scene.
The Library Poetry Tour is free. And there will be time to interact with the poets after each
performance. Show your support for young poets and the spoken word by joining us at all three
tour stops. Celebrate National Poetry Month with us!
About the Shawna E. Shea Memorial Foundation (Shawna Foundation)
The Shawna E. Shea Memorial Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 arts nonprofit organization
dedicated to supporting and promoting independent filmmaking, youth empowerment, and
the arts. Established in memory of Shawna E. Shea, the foundation provides scholarships,
grants, and mentorship programs to encourage creativity, resilience, and artistic expression.
Through film festivals, community events, art exhibits, poetry performances, and educational
initiatives, the Foundation fosters a vibrant artistic community while honoring Shawna’s
legacy. Learn more at www.shawnafoundation.org .
April is National Poetry Month and the Library Poetry Tour Celebrates with Stops at Three Local Libraries
