Mahogany L. Browne Appointed First Ever Poet-in-Residence at Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts today announced Mahogany L. Browne as its first ever poet-in-residence. The residency, entitled "We Are The Work", will feature a variety of in-person and virtual events, along with new poetry by Browne, commissioned specifically for the residency.

It is presented as part of Restart Stages, a program of the SNF-LC Agora Initiative with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which activates outdoor space through artistic and community initiatives that speak to our current moment, and reimagines cultural engagement in public space for a new era.

For her residency, Browne has curated events that draw from her experience as a poet and activist-including a racial justice writing workshop, film screenings, a poetry jazz night, book readings of justice-oriented children's books, and more. The residency opens on July 10 with a multipart roving artistic experience that showcases visual and literary artists as they investigate systems of oppression and includes art by Russell Craig, Rico Frederick, Eboni Hogan, and more. The event will be hosted by Browne, and features youth poetry performances as well as live music by DJ Reborn and Mylez Gittens.

"This residency will include all of the intersections that shaped my process as both artist and advocate," said Mahogany L. Browne. "My landscape of being has been impacted by mass incarceration, poetry, social movement work, abolition, immigration, reclamation of joy, youth leadership, literacy, and mental wellness. This grouping of writers, artists, movement workers, experts, performers, and educators is a call to the frontline. We are collecting our heartbreaks, our anxieties, our fears, and our desires. We are growing this harvest of impossible humanity; this messy evolution that can grow so much goodness."

Additional highlights include the Woke Baby Book Fair, a family-friendly celebration with book readings, a baby movement class led by Paris Alexandrea of BK Yoga Club, and a fresh produce giveaway from Seeds in the Middle; a conversation with V (formerly Eve Ensler), Yolanda Sealey Ruiz, and Idrissa Simmonds on Racial Equality Work in the Community and Classroom; and a jazz and spoken word event featuring Adam Falkner, Max Michael Jacob, Vuyo Sotashe, and Shanelle Gabriel. Film screenings include Wash the Dead, a short film by Mahogany L. Browne & Russell Craig on The GREEN. The culminating in-person event on September 10, How the Work Begins: A Revolutionary Concert, includes poet, DJ and activist, Jive Poetic, Resistance Revival Chorus, dance performances, film presentations, hands-on activities showcasing Words of Art and Brain Yoga, and readings by Isaac Fitzgerald, Jon Sands, and best-selling YA Authors.

"As we do our part to champion the cultural and economic comeback of our city, it's incumbent upon us to ensure we're supporting the voices, stories, and lived experiences of those whose artistry holds up a mirror to our world-even when those stories and experiences may be difficult to see," said Jordana Leigh, Senior Director of Programming at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. "Poetry is a uniquely powerful art form. We are so fortunate to be working with Mahogany and the phenomenal group of artists she is convening."

All events are free and open to the general public. Tickets to the event on July 10 are now available via the TodayTix Lottery or by calling Lincoln Center Guest Services at 212-875-5456.* To learn more about free tickets and access to the in-person and virtual events, please visit LincolnCenter.org/WeAreTheWork.

Photo credit: Jennie Bergqvist