Diverse Word est. 2006, along with many community gatherings came to a halt in March of 2020 with the health risks of COVID-19. During the interim of shifting poetry to only virtual engagements, we learned that Dandelion Community Cafe, the venue that originally housed the open mic, did not survive the impacts related to this pandemic. I had a decision to make at that point and I'm thankful that I had family and friends encourage me not to let the open mic simply die out; which brought me back to my "why." Initially, I had a vision of diversifying the poetry open mic scene more than it had been. But over the years, I was able to take a step back and recognize the social benefits of having a safe space to artistically process the human experience out loud while listening to others.

I've heard many positive stories related to mental health, personal development, & meaningful connections to think that spaces like Diverse Word are not only good, but necessary for the overall health and identity of a city. With that said, I want to thank you all for your continued support as we've safely re-open at our new venue, Downtown Credo - North Quarter 885 N. Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32801.

The owner, Ben Hoyer, has a great heart and history of building meaningful communities while understanding the challenges we presently find ourselves in. Guacamoli is a new venue with delicious food under the same roof that will be a great service to the community as well. Looking forward to seeing many of you again!

Peace, Love & Poetry!

SW

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