Poetry exists in many forms
Jacqueline and Jason’s Block Party! with Jacqueline Woodson, Jason Moran
Poetry Readings
Works by award-winning poet María Fernanda explore the intimacy of sisterhood, the anchor of intergenerational coexistence, and grief. Her practice experiments with visual poetics. María Fernanda delivers speeches, presents on poetry at film festivals, and more. In 2026, she opened the year with presenting on her research in Spain.
A New Language: Broadside Workshop at DC Public Library at Mount Pleasant Library location
Literary Facilitation
Award-winning poet María Fernanda leads literary workshops in the form of collective literary experiences. She conceives and develops each with the intention of supporting writers in their literary career. Participants create new work within her personalized framework, as well as consider unique ways to approach writing.
Park Avenue Armory’s Making Space season
Programming & Collaboration
Award-winning poet María Fernanda specializes as a creative producer for the performing arts. She produces venue-wide live productions (3k+ attendees), commissions new work, develops residencies for both individuals and groups (70+), and possesses extensive artist contract management experience.
Programs
designed by María Fernanda
Poetry & Presence series
Join The American Poetry Museum for María Fernanda’s three-part lecture series celebrating poetic thought and our communities that shape it. Q&A to follow each.
a poetry garden series
Join Black horticulturists and literary artists as they discuss their creative and historic connections to the gardens in our communities.
In 2024, featured discussions centered on the Trinidad, Anacostia, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. In 2025, the series launched in Georgetown Heights in collaboration with the DC Preservation League.
The Hour series
Sign up on-site to share your work aloud at Politics and Prose’s newest free open mic series, created and hosted by María Fernanda! She believes that Poetry, like us, exists in many forms—spoken word, blues, performance/theatre, hip-hop, and more. Bring poems, songs, raps, monologues, positive affirmations and more!
These one-hour collective experiences explore various poetic forms and supports writers with their revision practice beyond the wide-recognized workshop style.
Let’s Write Poetry Saturdays
Previous Programs
by María Fernanda
Where We At! series
A series of in-gallery experiences, crafted by María Fernanda, debuted at The National Gallery of Art. Located in Gallery 77 as part of the Gallery’s exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985, participants were invited to write poems and learn about the Black Arts Movement. The title of this program is directly inspired by Black Women Artists Inc.’s name and call, “Where We At!” (circa 1971).
honoring nikki series
This initiative finds its shape in the form of workshops, lectures, and readings honoring Nikki Giovanni’s presence in DC. Readings include curated artist and open mic readers/performers to widen the lens in which we remember.
About
Services
Performances
Experience Design
Guest speaker/Moderator/Host
Locations
Washington
New York
Los Angeles
Clients
Museums
Performing Arts Center
National Initiatives
Recogniiton
Hurston/Wright Foundation
Best of the Net
Breakbeat Poets
Collaborations
selected
2025
The National Museum of African American of History and Culture
Brookings Institution
The National Gallery of Art
2024
American Poetry Museum
American Museum of Natural History
The Writer’s Center
2023
George Washington University
Virginia G. Piper Studio Center
Simon & Schuster