Dara Kalima, also known as The Community Poet, resides in Bronx, NY. She explores love, equity, and healing through the lens of lived experiences and personal observations. Kalima has performed internationally and Off-Broadway. Kalima facilitates workshops on a myriad of topics from Poetry 101 to specific written and performance techniques. She can often be found wandering through the streets of New York City, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells while seeking that spark that will inspire her next poem. Kalima has authored five books, including Still Laughin’ and her newly released book It Is Abnormal: To Ban Poetry. She has also had her words published by Great Weather For Media, Rigorous, The Amistad, African Voices Magazine and others. Connect with her at www.darakalima.com or on BluSky or IG @DaraKalima.