Join us for an evening with contributors of this newly anthology published by Inlandia Institute’s Blacklandia

Beyond Baroque presents a poetry night highlighting resilience and mental health journeys within the Black community with contributors of 88 Unashamed Black Mental Health Stories. Published by Inlandia Institute’s Blacklandia, the evening features readings by anthology editor, Romaine Washington, and contributors: Brandon Allen, Akilah Brown, James Coats, Nicole J. Evans, and Justin C. Key.



Doors Open: 1:30 PM I Readings: 2:00 PM

About the authors

Brandon Allen is founder and CEO of Youth Writer’s Camp, Inc., a San Bernardino nonprofit using creative expression to build emotional resilience in young people. A poet, 3x TEDx speaker, and published author of This Little Boy, he also serves as a campus pastor and founder of Poetically Adorned Apparel.

Akilah Brown is an award-winning professor, blogger, and multi-genre storyteller who was a 2023 writing fellow for the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency and a past scholarship recipient for the Rocaberti Writers’ Retreat. Originally from Bladensburg, MD, she now lives and writes in Los Angeles, CA.

James Coats is an award-winning author, poet, and educator from Southern California. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire positive change in the world. You can find him attending poetry readings throughout California.His newest poetry collection is Midnight & Mad Dreams. He is a 2023 Poetry Pushcart Prize nominee.

Nicole J. Evans (she/her) a Black woman from Los Angeles. She writes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Eldest daughter, Black sheep, vision alchemist, generational curse breaker, dream catcher, tale weaver, aspiring griot, latent gardener, inherent inherited beautician, poet by heart, writer by revelation, and singer of her own songs.

Justin C. Key is a practicing psychiatrist and a speculative fiction writer. He is the author of the short story collection The World Wasn’t Ready for You, and his stories have appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, Escape Pod, Lightspeed, and on Tor.com. His debut sci-fi novel, The Hospital at the End of the World, is out now from HarperCollins.


Romaine Washington is the editor of 88 Unashamed Black Mental Health Stories and These Black Bodies Are... She has two published poetry books, is a twice Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, and has presented her work on NPR and CBS. Visit her at romainewashington.com.

About Beyond Baroque

Beyond Baroque is one of the United States' leading independent Literary | Arts Centers and public spaces dedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of poetry, literature and art through cultural events and community interaction. Founded in 1968 as an experimental literary magazine, Beyond Baroque is based out of the original City Hall building in Venice, California. The Center offers a diverse variety of literary and arts programming including readings and workshops. The building also houses a bookstore with a large collection of new poetry books for sale.