THE WRITER'S DEN: THE GRIOT EXPERIENCE
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THE WRITER'S DEN: THE GRIOT EXPERIENCE
Admission: $20
Reserved seating
Pre-show specials: 5PM - 6:30PM
Program: 7PM
21+ / 16+ must be accompanied by an adult
Tickets: https://www.revelerexperiences.com/event/the-writers-den-the-griot-experience
An intimate night of poetry, music, comedy, and dialogue featuring Roscoe Burnems and MoeFlowz in a powerful exchange on story, culture, identity, healing, and what Black men carry.
The Griot Experience brings together two of Richmond’s most dynamic poetic voices, Roscoe Burnems and MoeFlowz, for a night that moves beyond performance into conversation, reflection, and community connection. Rooted in the tradition of the griot, this experience blends spoken word, storytelling, music, comedy, and honest dialogue to explore the stories we inherit, the burdens we carry, and the truths we often leave unspoken.
The show will flow like a live exchange between artists and audience, with poetry serving as the foundation. Through original work, reflective conversation, and moments of humor and vulnerability, Roscoe and MoeFlowz will unpack themes of manhood, legacy, grief, love, survival, healing, and becoming. The evening is designed to feel intimate, soulful, and engaging: part performance, part conversation, part communal reflection.
Presented by The Writer’s Den, this event invites guests into a curated space where words are not just heard but felt. Come prepared to laugh, listen, reflect, and experience poetry as a bridge between personal truth and collective understanding.
Richmond, Virginia native, Douglas Powell/Roscoe Burnems is the city’s inaugural poet laureate. He is a published author, spoken-word artist, comedian, educator, and father who has dedicated his craft to entertaining and educating. Douglas prides himself on using his creativity to inspire, challenge, and destigmatize. No topic is taboo. From social justice to mental health, Roscoe Burnems uses every performance to highlight culture and resiliency in a way that is disarming and engaging. In his time as an artist, he has been a three-time southern regional finalist, National Poetry Slam Champion, and two-time Underground Poetry Slam Champion. His work has spanned across platforms, from TEDx to hosting VPM's Emmy nominated "Art Scene" and two-time Telly Award winning series "In the Pen with Roscoe Burnems" . For over a decade he has been the Executive Director of The Writer’s Den RVA Art Collective, a poetry based arts, education, and entertainment organization that curates events and facilitates writing, performance, and team building workshops for schools, detention centers, and other organizations. He is the author of four published works: "Fighting Demons", "Chrysalis Under Fire", "God, Love, Death and Other Synonyms", and "defyne". Selected poems from Roscoe have also been published in over a dozen literary magazines and journals, including: Freeze Ray Magazine, Flypaper Magazine, Scene & Heard Journal, Into Quarterly, Beltway Quarterly, and Rise Up Review. He was recently named Best Poet in Richmond by Style Weekly. His poetry and stand-up comedy special, "Traumedy" can be found on Amazon Prime.
Dr. Maurice “Moeflowz” Brown is a poet, educator, and community builder whose work lives at the intersection of mathematics, storytelling, and cultural empowerment. A retired U.S. Army veteran with 24 years of service, he holds a Ph.D. in Systems Models and Analysis from Virginia Commonwealth University, along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mathematics from Virginia State University. For more than 15 years, he has served students across secondary and higher education, currently teaching and coordinating Business Problem Solving & Analysis (BUSN 212) at VCU, where he designs research-supportive, project-based learning experiences that connect quantitative reasoning to real-world decision-making.
As a spoken word artist known as “Moeflowz,” Dr. Brown uses poetry as both mirror and megaphone; exploring identity, Black excellence, liberation, masculinity, vulnerability, and truth. He is the founder of Ink & Barrel and serves as Associate Director of The Writer’s Den, organizations dedicated to cultivating creative expression through workshops, performances, school partnerships, and community engagement. His performances and programs center empowerment through language, encouraging audiences to think critically, feel deeply, and move intentionally.
Whether in the classroom or on the stage, Dr. Brown’s mission is consistent: to equip people with the tools to solve problems, tell their stories, and stand confidently in their voice.
Admission: $20
Reserved seating
Pre-show specials: 5PM - 6:30PM
Program: 7PM
21+ / 16+ must be accompanied by an adult
Tickets: https://www.revelerexperiences.com/event/the-writers-den-the-griot-experience
An intimate night of poetry, music, comedy, and dialogue featuring Roscoe Burnems and MoeFlowz in a powerful exchange on story, culture, identity, healing, and what Black men carry.
The Griot Experience brings together two of Richmond’s most dynamic poetic voices, Roscoe Burnems and MoeFlowz, for a night that moves beyond performance into conversation, reflection, and community connection. Rooted in the tradition of the griot, this experience blends spoken word, storytelling, music, comedy, and honest dialogue to explore the stories we inherit, the burdens we carry, and the truths we often leave unspoken.
The show will flow like a live exchange between artists and audience, with poetry serving as the foundation. Through original work, reflective conversation, and moments of humor and vulnerability, Roscoe and MoeFlowz will unpack themes of manhood, legacy, grief, love, survival, healing, and becoming. The evening is designed to feel intimate, soulful, and engaging: part performance, part conversation, part communal reflection.
Presented by The Writer’s Den, this event invites guests into a curated space where words are not just heard but felt. Come prepared to laugh, listen, reflect, and experience poetry as a bridge between personal truth and collective understanding.
Richmond, Virginia native, Douglas Powell/Roscoe Burnems is the city’s inaugural poet laureate. He is a published author, spoken-word artist, comedian, educator, and father who has dedicated his craft to entertaining and educating. Douglas prides himself on using his creativity to inspire, challenge, and destigmatize. No topic is taboo. From social justice to mental health, Roscoe Burnems uses every performance to highlight culture and resiliency in a way that is disarming and engaging. In his time as an artist, he has been a three-time southern regional finalist, National Poetry Slam Champion, and two-time Underground Poetry Slam Champion. His work has spanned across platforms, from TEDx to hosting VPM's Emmy nominated "Art Scene" and two-time Telly Award winning series "In the Pen with Roscoe Burnems" . For over a decade he has been the Executive Director of The Writer’s Den RVA Art Collective, a poetry based arts, education, and entertainment organization that curates events and facilitates writing, performance, and team building workshops for schools, detention centers, and other organizations. He is the author of four published works: "Fighting Demons", "Chrysalis Under Fire", "God, Love, Death and Other Synonyms", and "defyne". Selected poems from Roscoe have also been published in over a dozen literary magazines and journals, including: Freeze Ray Magazine, Flypaper Magazine, Scene & Heard Journal, Into Quarterly, Beltway Quarterly, and Rise Up Review. He was recently named Best Poet in Richmond by Style Weekly. His poetry and stand-up comedy special, "Traumedy" can be found on Amazon Prime.
Dr. Maurice “Moeflowz” Brown is a poet, educator, and community builder whose work lives at the intersection of mathematics, storytelling, and cultural empowerment. A retired U.S. Army veteran with 24 years of service, he holds a Ph.D. in Systems Models and Analysis from Virginia Commonwealth University, along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mathematics from Virginia State University. For more than 15 years, he has served students across secondary and higher education, currently teaching and coordinating Business Problem Solving & Analysis (BUSN 212) at VCU, where he designs research-supportive, project-based learning experiences that connect quantitative reasoning to real-world decision-making.
As a spoken word artist known as “Moeflowz,” Dr. Brown uses poetry as both mirror and megaphone; exploring identity, Black excellence, liberation, masculinity, vulnerability, and truth. He is the founder of Ink & Barrel and serves as Associate Director of The Writer’s Den, organizations dedicated to cultivating creative expression through workshops, performances, school partnerships, and community engagement. His performances and programs center empowerment through language, encouraging audiences to think critically, feel deeply, and move intentionally.
Whether in the classroom or on the stage, Dr. Brown’s mission is consistent: to equip people with the tools to solve problems, tell their stories, and stand confidently in their voice.
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Where is it happening?
3108 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA, United States, Virginia 23221
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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