By John-Paul Bonadonna
The University of Windsor’s Black Scholars Institute will host Between Borders and Blackness: An Intimate Evening of Poetry and Conversation in the Hatch Studio Theatre, Monday, Nov. 24 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The event — featuring UWindsor’s resident Fulbright Visiting Research Scholar Vida Cross — promises to blend lyrical artistry with meaningful dialogue about identity, culture and community.
“The identity that exists between Windsorites and Detroiters, especially that of those who have lived in both spaces, is one that I’m constantly trying to observe,” Prof. Cross said.
“It’s historic, it’s ongoing and it shapes how people see themselves on both sides of the river.”
UWindsor will also welcome acclaimed poet Nandi Comer, 2023 Poet Laureate of Michigan, 2025-2026 Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow at the University of Wisconsin and co-Director of Detroit Lit.
Cross and Comer share roots in Cave Canem, an influential fellowship for Black poets in the United States.
They will be joined by Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony, a Toronto/Windsor-based award-winning poet and educator and Teajai Travis, Windsor’s inaugural Multicultural Community Storyteller.
The program will explore the intersections of Blackness, art and politics through poetry and conversation, drawing connections, parallels and distinctions across borders and communities.
Cross says the idea of “between borders” extends beyond physical boundaries. It reflects histories of migration and belonging, and the ways art can bridge divides.
“We have to always work to make sure that we create community instead of putting our arms out to distance ourselves from each other,” she said.
“That is the only way we make it through difficult times.”
Between Borders and Blackness invites the community to experience poetry as an opportunity to listen, reflect and celebrate the identity of Black womanhood.
Admission is free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments will be provided.