Flexing The Soft Power of Women Who Submit

Beyond Baroque presents an afternoon of resilience for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Join poets Angela M. Franklin, Jessica Gallion, Sharon Langley, Ronna Magy, Pam Ward, and Romaine Washington for powerful readings that uplift and inspire.

Featuring work from The Soft Power Edition 102 of Cholla Needles and more, these poets—four from Women Who Submit, a literary collective championing women and non-binary writers—bring their voices to The Wanda Coleman Theater.

Stay after for a reception and book signings.

Doors Open: 1:30 PM I Readings: 2:00 PM

Angela M. Franklin is an award-winning poet, essayist, and memoirist. She is a native of Los Angeles, whose poems and essays have appeared in several anthologies and journals. Her bold and honest work kicks in the doors of patriarchal complacency to interrogate and shed light on the abuse and violence against women. Her mantra if you don’t reveal, you don’t heal fuels her work.

Jessica Gallion aka YELLAWOMAN is a Black, Creole author and poet from Natchitoches, Louisiana, raised in Los Angeles, CA. She is the author of Can’t No Woman, Woman Like Me, published by World Stage Press in Leimert Park. She is also a Co-coordinator for the Anansi Writers Workshop held weekly at The World Stage. She is a performer who has done voice overs for Coca-Cola. Jessica recently opened for Rupi Kaur, and Ed Mabrey, and is the 2016 champion of the Spoken Word Voices Heard Poetry Slam.

Sharon Langley is an author, poet, and educator who lives in Los Angeles. She often writes on themes of social justice, current events and American history. She is also a children's book writer and co-author of A Ride to Remember.

Poet Ronna Magy is an alumna of Napa Valley Writer’s Conference and was recently honored by West Hollywood as a civil rights hero. Ronna is a retired English as a Second Language instructor, and textbook author whose poems have been published in 80 journals. She is expecting her first collection of poetry to hit books stores in 2026.

LA native, Pam Ward released her poetry anthology Between Good Men & No Man at All. She also has authored two novels, Want Some Get Some, and Bad Girls Burn Slow. Pam is a UCLA graduate, California Arts Council Fellow, Pushcart Poetry Nominee, and a founding member of the Leimert Park Book Fair.

Romaine Washington is the editor of Cholla Needles #102:The Soft Power Edition and These Black Bodies Are… A Blacklandia Anthology. Washington’s work has garnered Best of the Net and two Pushcart nominations. Currently, she is curating and editing a Black Mental Health Anthology and facilitating workshops for Inlandia Institute.

About Beyond Baroque

is one of the United States' leading independent Literary | Arts Centers and public spaces dedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of poetry, literature and art through cultural events and community interaction. Founded in 1968 as an experimental literary magazine, Beyond Baroque is based out of the original City Hall building in Venice, California. The Center offers a diverse variety of literary and arts programming including readings and workshops. The building also houses a bookstore with a large collection of new poetry books for sale.

Livestream: If you can’t join us in person the event will be livestreamed on at the scheduled time of the event. If you are tuning in this way, no ticket purchase is necessary.

This is a free event, but please note seating is limited. We recommend registering in advance through Eventbrite. Masks are encouraged while inside our center. Please arrive early.

Event attendees are expected to behave in a respectful and considerate manner while in our space. Beyond Baroque reserves the right to remove individuals from our events, virtual or otherwise, if they are not respecting the space, staff, fellow attendees, or performers.

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Host or Publisher Beyond Baroque Literary | Arts Center