Join Nevada Humanities in conversation with City of Reno Poet Laureate, Jesse James Ziegler, and local poet Elisa Garcia! We will spend the evening learning about Ziegler’s tenure as the City of Reno Poet Laureate, listening to some of his original poems and those of Elisa Garcia’s, and learning more about the future and community of poetry and northern Nevada. Audience participation is welcome and encouraged!
Jesse James Ziegler is currently serving as Poet Laureate for the City of Reno. He is the creator and manager of Monday Night Poetry and vice president for Spoken Views Collective. He is a member of the Sierra Literary Cooperative and the Spoken Word/Poetry contributor to Reno Arts News. He runs a twice monthly all ages poetry group/open mic True Colors in collaboration with Our Center. He was the first ever Poet in Residence for the Bruka Theatre and held that position for three consecutive seasons. His first collection of poetry, FIVE (2019), was published and brought to life through their annual new Works Festival.
Jesse opened and hosted the world premieres of Brandon Leake’s original spoken word play ‘Insomnia’ (Winner of Season 15 AGT) and has been a performance artist at the annual Utah Arts Festival. He has served as a host, judge, and prompter for the Nevada chapter of the national Poetry Out Loud organization and continues to be the curator and host of a monthly poetry book club Collective Breath. He is also an active member of the Nevada Poetry Society which is the state chapter of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies.
Elisa Garcia is a Mexican-American writer and spoken word artist originally from Los Angeles, California.
Her journey in the spoken word scene has been marked by significant milestones, including her role as the coach for the Spoken Views Youth Collective at Brave New Voices in 2016. In 2017, Elisa made history as a member of the first-ever Reno team to compete in the National Poetry Slam held in Denver, Colorado.
Now living in Reno, Elisa shares space with her wonderful roommates and her mini black panther, Ferngully. When she's not crafting poems or managing an office, you can find her spreading joy through poetry workshops, where she helps others find their voices.
Away from the stage and the office, Elisa loves baking sweets, laughing too loud, and turning dance partners into cherished friends. You'll likely find her nestled with a good book, immersed in cozy video games, or gulping down one cup of coffee too many. Elisa's life is a testament to her dedication to art, community, and the simple things that make each day great.
Humanities at Play explores and showcases the significance of the humanities in everyday life through games, media, and popular culture. Join us for dynamic and interactive online and in-person events designed to spark thoughtful conversation and reflection. Learn more at nevadahumanities.org/humanities-at-play.