“We are working to count, gather, and uplift the names, lives, and work of Black women and femme poets in Philadelphia.”
–Yolanda Wisher, ConsenSIS
ConsenSIS summons “sisterly history” to preserve the past and present literary legacy of Black women and femme poets in the Philadelphia area, aiming to spark new traditions that commemorate a vital creative community in a city where Black women’s contributions to history are often buried under cobblestones and colonial landmarks. Inspired by appreciation of Philadelphia luminaries such as Sonia Sanchez and ursula rucker, as well as team leads Trapeta Mason and Yolanda Wisher own experiences as poets laureate for the city, the focus of their Re:Generation project was developing and implementing a survey of Black women and femme poets, convening a community gathering, and creating a musical and poetic score.
While much of the activity of ConsenSIS was based in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, one of the findings of their study was that many of their participants are no longer living in the city proper. As a result of this effort to learn about Black women and femme poets lives, challenges, and contributions to the city, the ConsenSIS team found new inspiration for their work to build a future where Black women and femme poets are remembered, cared for, resourced, and credited as key contributors to the city’s history.
Team members include: Yolanda Wisher, Trapeta B. Mayson, Maya Arthur, Mai Eltahir, Nicole Pollard, and Jaléssa Savage.
Local Partner Organization: Philadelphia Contemporary
Social Media: @ConsenSISPHL (Instagram)