Hey folks,

We’re capping off LitFest weekend with an amazing double-feature of Damien McClendon and Ephraim Nehemiah!

Come on out and enjoy these amazing voices and get your own words out on our amazing open mic!

Damien is a poet based in Cleveland, OH. Recipient of the 2018 Cleveland Arts Prize On the Verge fellowship for literature Damien's work speaks to the experience of being a Black father, artist and teacher in one of the countries most poverty stricken cities. He works as a teaching artist with various non-profits bringing performance poetry in schools and other public spaces. Damien also Holds the office of Poet Laureate for the city of Cleveland Heights, is co-director of The People Poetry Slam,  Placed 7th in the world at the individual world poetry Slam '17 and was a member of Cleveland's National Poetry Slam team ranked top 10th in the nation. Damien has worked in collaboration with Cleveland Museum of Art, Literary Cleveland, Lake Erie Ink, The Gund foundation, Karamu Theatre and Anisfield-wolf book awards. He has featured on Cleveland.com, Cleveland magazine, and the Heights Observer.

Ephraim is currently a teaching artist at Twelve Literary Arts in Cleveland, Ohio as well as the coach of nationally ranked teams placing in the top 10 at Brave New Voices and the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational respectively. A finalist performer in several regional and national competitions such as 2018 Individual World Poetry Slam and 2018 Rustbelt Poetry Slam, Ephraim has also performed in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, The Cleveland Foundation, TEDx Talks, Button Poetry, The Saul William's World tour and others.