Bicultural Poetry Program
The Bicultural Poetry Program (BPP) is a community-powered initiative by No Divide KC that fosters cultural exchange and supports emerging bilingual poets across Missouri. Through immersive workshops, collaborative events, and creative publishing opportunities, BPP empowers participants to express their identities, celebrate multilingual voices, and explore poetry as a tool for healing, advocacy, and connection.
Our program bridges the arts with education and mental wellness, using poetry to create space for reflection, dialogue, and transformation—both individually and collectively.
Find your verse:
KC Code Switchers
A vibrant monthly gathering celebrating BIPOC poets and multilingual expression.
Next Session: July 10th
Time: 5:15–7:00 PM
Where: Rotating cultural and community spaces in Kansas City. Each session includes a featured poet, guided dialogue, and open mic slots.
Partnership Workshops
Monthly sessions tailored to the communities your organization serves, focusing on cultural identity, healing, and storytelling through poetry. Perfect for community centers, libraries, and grassroots orgs.
Duration: 1.5 hours (2-4 sessions/month)
Participants: 5–15 people
KC Summer Poetry Lab
Be a part of the First Annual KC Summer Poetry Lab on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, a two-day immersive experience for poets and writers who want to deepen their creative practice while exploring identity, heritage, and voice. Whether you're a lifelong poet or a curious newcomer, this free weekend offers meaningful engagement, cultural reflection, and a path toward poetic growth.
LatinX Verse
Creative writing workshops integrated into Spanish, ELL, and English curricula offered for free to high schools in the states of Missouri and Kansas.
Audience: Freshman–Junior students
Duration: 1.5 hours (2–4 sessions)
Participants: 20–45 students
Bonus: UMKC students apply for paid internships to support the curriculum development of these sessions.
Why This Matters
Poetry becomes a mirror, a map, and a microphone in our program.
We’ve learned through experience that short sessions limit reflection, connection, and cultural exploration, especially for participants navigating bilingualism, immigration, or trauma. Our 1.5 hour format is intentional, giving space for storytelling to unfold fully, group discussion to deepen, and healing to begin.
Meet our team!
Rylan Scott
Melissa Ferrer-Civil
Marísa Grady
Mary Silwance
Kourtney Cunningham
Grace Gomez-Palacio
Sheila Maldonado
Abby Bland
Oscar Trujillo
Marlen Kahlo
Alej Martínez
Sandra Scott
Tip Mullen
“Our Identidad” Annual Anthology
A published bilingual collection showcasing the writing, stories, and photos from our program participants and events.
All contributors receive a physical copy, and we celebrate the release with a public showcase where local and student poets read their work.
Ready to connect?
Are you a teacher or community leader?
We’d love to bring the Bicultural Poetry Program to your space! Our core offerings are free of charge, thanks to our commitment to accessibility and community-building.
Are you a poet or artist?
We’re always looking for passionate collaborators who align with our mission. Let’s create something powerful together.
Want to attend an event?
Join us at a workshop or reading! Check out our current programming or follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
Important Note:
All of our core programming is offered at no cost, we’ve carefully designed each session to be impactful, inclusive, and accessible. Our model has been developed over several years to best serve diverse communities and ensure high-quality experiences for everyone involved.
We understand that some spaces may have unique needs. In those rare instances—such as requiring modifications of sessions length or long distance travel—a small accommodation fee may apply. We’re always happy to discuss those details openly and collaboratively.
We encourage partners to select one of our carefully crafted offerings, which we’ve fine-tuned to be both engaging and sustainable.
Questions or partnership ideas?
Reach out to Program founder and director, Waleska Rodríguez at waleska@nodividekc.org —we’re happy to talk through any details non specified in this page.