The Commonthread Poets was formed in response to the need to be resilient and press towards love. We believe in community not competition. In passion not popularity. Where there are cliques, we believe in radical connection and comradery to make this world a better place--one poem at a time. Life is too short for anything less than love.

Brianna Kai Yancey

Brianna Yancey is a teacher and recent grad of NCAT English/ African American Literature program and mom. She has had a few poems and artwork published in various journals. She currently resides in Greensboro, NC. Check out her artwork and amateur baking skills on instagram: bkaiy89. I forgot one thing and my thread. She is was a 2023 AWP HBCU fellow. She thinks there is nothing better than a dope hoodie and graphic tee.

Chris Tonelli

Chris Tonelli is a co-founder of the independent poetry press Birds, LLC. He is the author of five chapbooks and two full-length poetry collections, most recently Whatever Stasis from Barrelhouse Books. He works in the Libraries at NC State University and is the co-director of the NC Book Festival and co-owner of So & So Books in Raleigh, where he lives with his wife Allison and their kids Miles and Vera.

Khalisa Rae

Khalisa Rae is a lecturer, performance artist, and community organizer in Durham NC and the author of a stage play, and two poetry collections, including her debut collection Ghost in a Blk Girl's Throat. Her work appears in numerous journals and publications. Currently, she and her poet hubby are organizing Durham's first all Blk Southern Writers Conference and she's working on her new book. You can find her hosting art events, trying new food, cracking jokes, and being a cat mom @khalisarae

Monica Prince

Monica Prince is the foremost choreopoem scholar in the nation, and she does this from Selinsgrove, PA where she teaches. She's the author of 4 collections, including the forthcoming choreopoem, Roadmap, and she's obsessed with maxi skirts with pockets. Check out her website (www.monicaprince.com) or Twitter (@poetic_moni).

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum is a poet living in Nashville, TN. He has has published three collections of poetry and wears Celtics jerseys far too often than any human should. Learn more at AndrewMK.com.

Chibbi Orduña

Chibbi is a Mexican-born, Texas-raised queer performer, poet, publisher, producer, and community organizer, director and co-host of the Words and Shit and After 2 Tequila Shots podcasts, author of 2 self-published collections, co-editor of the anthology Contra: Texas Poets Speak Out, Editor in Chief and Director of Virtual Programming at Write About Now and Community Manager at Out in Tech. They are a 2-time San Antonio Slam Champion and have won 2 national poetry slam titles.

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Meghan Sterling (she/her) is Program Director of Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, a writing workshop leader, and a mom. She has three poetry collections out in 2023-View From a Borrowed Field (Lily Poetry Press), Comfort the Mourners (Everybody Press) and Self-Portrait with Ghosts of the Diaspora (Harbor Editions). She lives in Maine. She loves blazers and sequins.