Join us for an unforgettable evening of poetry and conversation with acclaimed surrealist blues poet aja monet, hosted by broadcaster and writer Zakia Sewell.

aja monet, known for her evocative blend of lyricism, social insight and musical rhythm will read from both her previously released works and her new collection Florida Water. Her debut full-length poetry collection, My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter (Haymarket Books, 2017), established her voice as a fearless witness to motherhood, resistance, displacement, and Black joy. Now, with Florida Water, a richly textured meditation on migration, spiritual cleansing and environmental and communal grief, Monet invites us to wade through memory, belonging, and climate’s rising tides.

In this intimate gathering, Monet will share her writing process, her practice of poetry as both a spiritual tool and an expressive force. Drawing from her identity as a poet and longtime community figure, she views poetry as more than words on the page: it’s a way of living, resisting, and building collective meaning.

Moderated by Zakia Sewell, this evening promises an engaging dialogue: Monet will reflect on her evolution as an artist and how her poems emerge from the lived rhythms of community, struggle, and love.

aja monet’s residency programme also includes: 

Wed 12 November, Frobisher Room - aja monet workshop with Barbican Young Poets

Fri 14 November, Babrican Hall - aja monet + guests