Whatcom READS: Robert Lashley Poetry Reading

Whatcom READS hosts free community events that reflect themes found in each year’s selected title. This year’s community one-read selection is “Washington Black” by Esi Edugyan.

To reflect the theme of race and belonging and to honor the voices and stories of Black writers, Whatcom READS welcomes local poet Robert Lashley. As part of a Northwest population with people from the deep South and a survivor of the Hilltop gang wars of the early ’90s, Lashley’s poetry makes sense of the multitude of voices that have surrounded him over the years.

His passion joins high lyric poetry burnished by narrative structure, with a language attuned to the ear and the complexities of the human voice.