03/01/2026
Dear Miss Millie, Ayana, Hadley, Solmaz, D. Cameron, Shawn, Shanice, Rebecca, Melanie, Rosalynde, Robert, Deborah, Michelle, Anne, Susan, Rebecca, Kevin, Donovon, Renee, Rebecca, Janice, Dallas, Carla, the RI Black Storytellers, Jean, Claire, Claire, Val, Ari, Manny, Choclt, Devra, and Trey—
As we close out Black History Month, we do so with full hearts because of how you showed up.
The 31st Annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading was more than an event. It was a gathering of memory, music, truth, and love. It was a reminder that when community shows up together, history breathes and hope speaks. None of it would have been possible without your generosity, your faith in the work, and your willingness to stand with us.
Your support was not simply financial or logistical—it was spiritual. It was solidarity. It was a declaration that the stories, voices, and creative brilliance of our community matter.
We want to especially lift up Ms. Claudeline Chery, Associate Director of the Center for Community Partnerships. Claudeline, your unyielding support, your generous spirit, and your deep commitment carried us through. Simply put, without you, this year’s event would not have happened. Your belief in this work is a gift, and we are profoundly grateful.
To every donor and every member of our production team—your dedication, your behind-the-scenes labor, your encouragement, and your trust made this celebration possible. You helped create a space where poetry could rise, where elders and youth could share the same air, and where Black history was honored not just as remembrance, but as living presence.
Please know this: we love you. We appreciate you. We value your solidarity more than words can fully express.
Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in this vision. Thank you for helping us keep the flame alive.
With deep love and gratitude,
The LHCPR Committee
