David Dayton reads from his poetry and Fatima Massaquoi sings and plays guitar, followed by poetry open mic.

David  Dayton’s first book of poems, The Lost Body of Childhood, was released by Copper Beech Press. He subsequently went on to launch Alembic: A Magazine of Poetry, which became Alembic Press, publisher of 11 books partly financed by grants from the NEA. Temporarily setting aside his literary ambitions, he began a career in academia and government, eventually moving to Washington, DC. He holds graduate degrees in English Education and Technical Communication. In 2023, he revived Alembic Press to publish his second collection of poems, The Bus to San Simón, and a novel, Wideman's Gospel. 

Fatima Massaquoi is a singer-songwriter bringing a fresh take to the modern-day music scene. Picking up the guitar in a moment of spontaneous inspiration, she began to create relatable, inspirational, poetic music with lyrical content that explores the colored complexities of the lived human experience. Engaging the hearts and minds of those she reaches as well as her own, she’s found gratitude in being able to do what she has found to be a complete joy and true calling in creating music. Fatima lives in Maryland.