Squawk Spoken Word #3 with Aisha Akram

Squawk Spoken Word is a new monthly poetry night in Barrow-in-Furness giving local poets the chance to share their work and hear others on a regular basis. Poetry nights have become increasingly popular in Barrow and Squawk hopes to build upon this as it starts to spread its wings. Squawk aims to platform local poets and spoken word artists while also bringing emerging names from across the country to perform in Barrow.

Squawk Spoken Word is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

With work stemming from their identity as a Queer Muslim woman, Aisha Akram (she/they) is a 24-year-old poet from Manchester. In her work, she explores what it means to be part of multiple intersections and how this shapes both her own and other's perceptions of her identity. They use cadence and rhythm as a means of highlighting the depth of feeling.

Aisha has appeared on BBC Radio Manchester, broadcasting her work to thousands of listenders around the country and performed at the BBC Make A Difference Awards, highlights the importance of the LGBTQ+ community in making a positive difference on society as part of the BBC Introducing sections of the event.

They have supported poet Isabella Dorta on different shows across her UK tour and even supported her in the Netherlands in 2026 to broadcast her work to new audiences beyond the UK.

Aisha's debut collection 'the cards i have been dealt' highlights the different cards or identities that they take on and how this has impacted different aspects of her life, from sexuality, to religion, to family, to love, to social justice issues. They write with raw honesty and highlight issues they have faced in their life as well as moments of joy and happiness.

The launch of Squawk Spoken Word will mark Aisha's first time performing in Barrow-in-Furness after headlining Trafford Pride in Maay and many events around Manchester since she started performing in 2021.

Your host for the evening is Caleb Staps (he/him). Caleb is a local poet, writer and workshop facilitator whose work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in a small town where not much seems to happen.

Full of Noises (FON) is a sound art and new music organisation based in Piel View House, Barrow Park. Their new performance space is home to regular concerts, film screenings, and events.

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